SANTO DOMINGO.- Organization of American States (O.A.S.) secretary general  Jose Miguel Insulza today called for more investment in technologies on the part of the hemisphere’s countries.

In the inauguration of the "Forum of the Private Sector", in which industrialists from around the Americas took part, Insulza said that the public and private sector must use the advances in technology and communication as a "lever" to improve living conditions in the continent.

"In a modern and globalized world, only the countries with access to technology of knowledge can quite substantively increase productivity and competitiveness," said the Chilean diplomat before dozens of industrialists, Dominican officials and O.A.S. representatives.

 In that regard, the official lamented that American countries, except the U.S. and Canada, all told invest less than what each year South Korea allocates to projects of technological development and the advanced research.

Insulza also referred to a recent Inter-American Development Bank (I.D.B.) report which reviews Latin America’s and the Caribbean’s low investment  in this field.

For his part Private Sector of the Americas president Ernesto Gutiérrez, stated that the "best" instrument to make the hemisphere more competitive is in technology, innovation and communications. "It becomes essential to improve the training of the citizens, to increase the capacity of the technicians, experts and researchers," said Gutiérrez in the event’s inaugural.

Also present in the forum’s opening was Dominican vice-president, Rafael Alburquerque; National Business Council president   Elena Viyella and the American Chamber of Commerce president Kevin Manning.

In the meeting that will last until tomorrow, will be analyzed the "public-private inter-American alliance for competitiveness and the creation of jobs in the society of knowledge."

In the Forum some topics will be debated included in the O.A.S. General Assembly’s agenda, to be held between June 4 and 6, in Santo Domingo under the motto "Governance and development in the society of knowledge."

On June 4, before the Assembly’s formal opening, private sector representatives will have the opportunity to present their recommendations for the consideration of the Foreign ministers.

Between those who will address the Assembly is the president of the Group Cisneros, Gustavo Cisneros.

Dominican and  Panamanian presidents Leonel Fernandez and Martín Torrijos have also been invited to the meeting, as well as representatives from international organisms