Event

Professor Ricardo Hausmann, Director of the Center for International Development at Harvard University and one of the most influential development economists is poised to lecture on the topic, "Achieving Sustainable Prosperity in Trinidad and Tobago" 

Date:  Monday July 19th, 2010

Venue: Learning Resource Centre, UWI (St Augustine) Campus

Time:  7:00pm

"Achieving Sustainable Prosperity in Trinidad and Tobago" is an extremely important topic and is particularly relevant to efforts to diversify the economy of Trinidad & Tobago away from its dependence on the Energy sector. Professor Hausmann argues that sustainable prosperity is based on a broad accumulation of heterogeneous productive capabilities that support a set of products which becomes increasingly more heterogeneous and complex. But how can new products be made if the productive capabilities are not available? Why should people and organizations accumulate new productive capabilities that are not being demanded? To address this problem, Professor Hausmann argues, countries diversify into "nearby" goods where the problem is easier to address. He analyses Trinidad and Tobago's productive stance, reflects upon the road ahead and how to seize it.  

 

About Professor Hausmann

Professor Ricardo Hausmann is eminently qualified to speak on this topic. He holds a PhD in economics from Cornell University and, in addition to being the Director of the Center for International Development, is also Professor of the Practice of Economic Development at Harvard University.

Previously, he served as the first Chief Economist of the Inter-American Development Bank (1994-2000), where he created the Research Department. He served as Minister of Planning of Venezuela (1992-1993) and as a member of the Board of the Central Bank of Venezuela. He also served as Chair of the IMF-World Bank Development Committee. He was Professor of Economics at the Instituto de Estudios Superiores de Administracion (1985-1991) in Caracas, where he founded the Center for Public Policy.

His research interests include issues of growth, macroeconomic stability, international finance, and the social dimensions of development. He is a prolific writer who has authored or co-authored more than a dozen books and has published close to 100 book chapters or articles in leading  journals, like the Journal of Development Economics. He is also responsible for a range of reports related to economic development commissioned by governments and international agencies.  For more information on the distinguished career of Professor Hausmann, please check http://ricardohausmann.com/.