The Tribune

By DANA SMITH

Tribune Staff Reporter

dsmith@tribunemedia.net

THE University of Miami is prepared to partner with the Bahamas government on future stem cell research, Prime Minister Perry Christie announced yesterday.

The government will establish a special University of Miami committee, he said, which will focus on “resolving how this partnership will work”.

Mr Christie, who was speaking outside Cabinet, confirmed that he met with the president of the university, the dean of its medical school, and the professor in charge of stem cell research at the university – whom he said is a “very noted scholar” in the United States.

“The purpose of the meeting was towards ensuring that we would understand the position (of) the University of Miami, relative to interests being expressed by one of the applicants for stem cell here in the Bahamas, who indicated a desire to have a relationship with the University of Miami.

“In turn, I had discussions myself with respect to the University of Miami being a part of the oversight committee, being a part of assisting us in really responding to all the technical questions that will arise, and as it turned out, I had a meeting that was beyond my expectations.”

Mr Christie said the university “indicated a desire to have a much stronger relationship” with the Bahamas government.

“They indicated preparedness to partner with the government in stem cell research,” he said.

“In response to my request for the levels of assistance we would need with respect to how they approach their programme, they indicated that they had a programme of stem cell research that would now be investigating at least seven diseases and the extent to which stem cell will impact those diseases; and, that they had a great interest in being able to be a part of the scholarship and the research that will take place in the Bahamas - specifically with respect to ensuring that we are a jurisdiction of integrity and will be seen by the world.”

The prime minister said when he speaks in Parliament to address the matter he will be able to expand on the country’s planned approach to the laws, regulations, and choice of applicants for stem cell research.

“It is what it is,” Mr Christie said. “We are well advanced on it, we are ready for the legislation to receive passage through the House of Assembly and to go onto the Senate.

“And I think I should also add, with respect to the University of Miami, that we agreed to establish joint working parties – that is, the Bahamas will put together a University of Miami committee towards resolving how this partnership will work.”

As for who will be on this new committee, Mr Christie said the government will begin with chief medical officer, Glen Beneby.