OAS Secretary General for NCTI Project launch

OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza is expected to be in St. Vincent and the Grenadines on October 26 for the official launch of an OAS sponsored Community Technology Project at the National Centre of Technological Innovation, Inc. (NCTI).{{more}}

The NCTI, which was formerly the National Institute of Technology (NIT), now has a new name, a new home and a brand new attitude, according to Minister of Telecommunications, Science, Technology and Industry, Dr Jerrol Thompson.

Thompson was speaking to SEARCHLIGHT at the former Banana Association Building at Sharpe Street in Kingstown, which is the new home of the Institute. He said that the institute has been totally revamped and streamlined to operate more efficiently. “In terms of information and communications technology (ICT), we can compete with anyone from anywhere in the world in this new knowledge based economy,” Thompson boasted.

In August 2002, the National Institute of Technology (NIT) commenced operations at the Ottley Hall Marina and Shipyard as a department within the Ministry of Telecommunications, Science, Technology and Industry. It was established for the creation of a sustainable community based Information Technology Training Programme, where Vincentians will obtain marketable vocational skills necessary to acquire employment in the Informatics Sector.

As part of the restructuring process, the NIT has taken on the image of a corporate entity, with a board of directors and management structure. Now called the National Centre of Technological Innovation, Inc. (NCTI), it will function as a government owned statutory corporation.

According to Colin Bacchus, Managing Director of the NCTI, the move from Ottley Hall to Sharpe Street has provided more spacious accommodation and better access to the institution, hence more persons are benefiting from ICT training courses.

Bacchus stated that the NCTI has noted improved interest in its training courses by the general public. He said he recognises the need to maintain a very high standard of tutoring and course delivery, hence careful scrutiny of prospective instructors is done.

Bacchus also said that the NCTI is associated with all the Learning Resource Centres (LRC) in SVG and that they have trained tutors to conduct ICT training at these centres, thus, giving the NCTI a national reach. There are currently over 200 public access computers in 11 LRCs throughout SVG.