ANYONE with the best interest of the Caribbean at heart would agree wholeheartedly with the views articulated by former Jamaican Prime Minister P J Patterson which were published in yesterday’s edition of the Jamaica Observer.

Mr Patterson, known as a strong advocate of regional unity, urged the Caribbean to focus on developing a creative economy that has the potential of stimulating employment and providing financial gain for the region’s peoples.

“The creative economy is that sector which produces goods and services whose production requires a significant input of creativity,” Mr Patterson explained in an address to the Carib News 19th Annual Multi-National Business Conference in The Bahamas last Friday.

“It embraces both the cultural and creative industries — music, visual arts, publishing, performing arts, fashion, design (of various kinds) craft, culinary, sport, advertising, leisure software, architecture, video games, etc,” he continued.

“It has linkages with sub-sectors such as merchandise, public relations, marketing, photography, online/mobile services, web development, heritage and tourism services,” Mr Patterson added.

To strengthen the argument for his case, Mr Patterson pointed to United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) data that, in 2010, valued the world creative industries market at US$600 billion, with a growth rate of 14 per cent.

He went even further, highlighting UNCTAD and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation data suggesting that the creative economy is currently valued at US$1.6 trillion.

These are not figures to sneeze at, and certainly, here in Jamaica, we are aware that the Government — through the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, as well as the Ministry of Education — has placed great emphasis on equipping students with knowledge and skills in the area of digital media.

In fact, the Government has secured the assistance of the World Bank, which has provided the country with a loan of US$20 million for investment, over five years, in the area of digital animation.

Just three months ago we pointed out in this space that the global animation industry earns an estimated US$220 billion annually, and the World Bank believes that, here in Jamaica, the industry can grow to US$69 million in value in five years.

At least 15,000 young Jamaicans are expected to benefit from that investment, which will include training animators, developing infrastructure, accrediting institutions, and funding a tech incubator named Startup Jamaica.

Mr Patterson’s view is for a broader Caribbean approach to that kind of initiative. That, we hold, makes eminent sense, especially when one considers the richness of our history, vibrancy of our culture, and intellectual capacity and skill of our people.

He has given regional governments ideas which can be developed. We urge them to look at these ideas seriously and not merely talk — as has been our custom in relation to a number of issues, including joint marketing of the region as a tourist destination.

Mr Patterson has, we believe, set the tone for this effort with his declaration that: “There is a great deal of work to be done. It is time to get busy. Not tomorrow or next year, there is a fierce urgency of now.”