$100,000 Commonwealth funding for ICT project in Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago will benefit from a Commonwealth Connects programme to fund a computer refurbishment project that will benefit schools and communities, particularly those in need.
 
The $100,000 project known as Computers for Communities will be managed by the Ministry of Public Administration and Information. It involves the collection of used computers donated by Caribbean governments and the private sector for re-use in Trinidad and Tobago through upgrading and repair. This exercise addresses the environmental concerns involving the disposal of computer equipment by refurbishing used computers instead of discarding them. The Government of Trinidad and Tobago will provide supplementary funding for the completion of this project.
 
The Computers for Communities project involves cleaning, assembly, software installation and configuration, quality assurance testing, distribution and installation of refurbished computers. This will help expand the pool of trained information and communication technology (ICT) technicians besides creating employment in the ICT sector and encouraging good corporate citizenship.
 
This project will promote the use of ICT in Trinidad and Tobago. It is in line with one of the focus areas of the Commonwealth Connects programme of promoting local access and connectivity within the Commonwealth. In Trinidad and Tobago, it is estimated that 10 per cent of the country’s population of over a million have internet access. This computer refurbishment project will enhance internet usage in the Caribbean country.
 
The other key areas of the Commonwealth Connects programme include policy development and building regulatory capacity; modernising education and skills development; entrepreneurship and poverty reduction; and enhancing regional networks, local content and knowledge.
 
Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon says the computer refurbishment project demonstrates the positive collaboration between the Commonwealth and a member country, which will contribute to youth and community development.
 
“The internet can open up whole new worlds for students and young people, particularly those from disadvantaged communities. It can be the source of information and ideas that can advance their educational as well as their employment prospects. Others can also benefit from business opportunities through the internet,” says the Secretary-General.
 
A signing ceremony will be held at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, United Kingdom, on 26 July 2007 between Secretary-General Don McKinnon and Trinidad and Tobago's High Commissioner to the UK, Glenda Morean-Phillip. It will be witnessed by the Commonwealth Connects Chair Dr Michael Frendo and Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Ransford Smith, who oversees the Commonwealth Connects Fund.
 
Commonwealth Connects was established in August 2006, as part of the response to a mandate given to the Commonwealth Secretariat by the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta in 2005. This initiative aims to bridge the digital divide between those with access to ICT and those without, with the goal of using technology as a tool for development. Commonwealth Connects currently funds a project in Sri Lanka to boost access to information on post-tsunami reconstruction for communities.

Key Links:

• Commonwealth Connects
• Country Profile: Trinidad & Tobago