Science & Technology Newsletter - April to June 2013

VOL.1, ISSUE # 2

APRIL - JUNE 2013

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS APRIL - JUNE 2013

A Q ua r te rl y N e ws l e tte r of t h e Scie n t if ic R e s e a rch Co un cil , Ja m a ica

This Newsletter highlights news, events and activities in Science & Technology (S&T) and related subjects which have taken place primarily in Jamaica over the last three months.

i3 CAMP July 2013 FINALS August 2013 learn more>>

Farmers of the Alve Food Farm in Resource, Manchester being given hands-on training in the production of organic fertilizer by the Microbiological Unit of SRC. Farmers who have received the training will train others in the community.

IN THIS ISSUE: 1

| Agro-Industry

2

| Awards/Competitions

3

| Business Development

5

| Energy

8

| Environment (The)

9

| Food Product Development

Click on the headlines to access these articles and more

AGRO-INDUSTRY

10 | Health Issues 11 | Innovation

Small Farmers Benefit from $30 M EU Economic Diversification Programme Some 40 small farmers in St. Mary and St. Thomas are now in a better position to take care of themselves and their families after participating in the just concluded $30 Million European Union (EU) funded Economic Diversification Programme. [...]

11 | Natural Products 11 | Quality Management 11 | Science Education 13 | Scientists

Local Entrepreneurs Call for Restrictions on Agri- imports Ban the importation of all agricultural produce which can be cultivated locally!

This, according to Peter McConnell, managing director of Worthy Park Estate Limited [...] ...more on page 2/

14 | Technology 15 | Wastewater Management 15 | Workshops/Seminars

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS APRIL - JUNE 2013 CARIBBEAN S&T EVENTS FOR APRIL-JUNE 2013 Jun 28-29>>National Minerals Trade Show and Exhibition Jun 28>>Focus Group discussion on draft of the Second National Energy Action Plan (2013-2016) Jun 27>>Opportunity Quest, SRC Jun 26>>Presentation by Professor Anthony Clayton Jun 24-25>>Caribbean Growth Forum Jun 20>>Public Forum & Roving Exhibition on Herbal Healing Jun 18>>4th INCO Conference – Strengthening international cooperation in Research & Innovation: Experiences from Latin America and the Caribbean, and Mediterranean Partner Countries Jun 14>>Selection and Prioritization of Energy Flagship Projects, Second NEAP (2013-2016) Jun 5-7>>International Conference on Science and Technology for Economic Diversification (INSCITED) May 29>>Mini Cassava Festival and Symposium May 28>>5th Global Forum on Innovation & Technology Entrepreneurship May 25>>Agrofest 2013 May 15-16>>5th Carbon Capture and Storage Summit May 15>>Seminar on Jamaica’s Readiness for Solar Energy May 14-15>>Researcher Careers and Mobility Conference May 8>>Lighting in the Caribbean May 7-8>>AS-COA 43rd Annual Washington Conference Apr 18>>Combined Award Ceremony for our Oratorical and Essay & Poster Competitions Apr 18>>2013 National Innovation Forum Apr 15-16>>Jamaica Alternative Energy Expo Apr 12>>Association of Science Teachers of Jamaica (ASTJ) Eastern quiz finals Apr 11-12>>Caribbean Open Data Conference & Code Sprint

SCAN ME AND LOG ON!

AWARDS/COMPETITIONS Wolmer’s Boys’ School Takes Second Place in Regional Sagicor Visionaries Challenge WOLMER’S Boys’ School placed second in the first regional Sagicor Visionaries Challenge held in Barbados recently. [...]

Young Innovator’s Competition on Water Technology Systems PRIMARY level students in Westmoreland and Hanover have a range of ideas on how to mitigate Jamaica’s water crisis and, on the occasion of World Water Day last Friday, they got the chance to showcase them. [...]

Young Entrepreneurs to Display Skills at Expo SOME 180 student entrepreneurs from six rural high schools will showcase a variety of innovative products and services offered by their school based businesses at the second staging of the Young Entrepreneurs ‘I am the Change’ Business Expo and Competition at the Mona Visitors’ Lodge, [...]

Students Win Prizes on SRC Facebook Competition Alexis Falloon from Camperdown High, Kemar Beckford from St. Catherine High and Chavaun Bennett from Haile Selassie High Schools are the latest winners of the first SRC Facebook competition. [...]

Jamaican Students Showcase Science & Technology Projects in Local Leg of Regional Competition On Friday March 22, 2013 students from High Schools in Jamaica showcased their Science, Technology and Innovation projects at the Sagicor Life of Jamaica building in Kingston as part of the Sagicor Visionaries Challenge. [...]

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(Cover image: Opportunity Quest event 2012)

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS APRIL - JUNE 2013

Corinaldi Avenue Primary Tops International Poster Competition COMPETING against elementary and primary schools from the United Kingdom, Canada, Trinidad and Tobago and the United States of America, Corinaldi Avenue Primary School in St James emerged victors in the 2013 World Plumbing Day International Poster Competition. [...]

Hampton High School Tops Math Competition STUDENTS from Hampton School have walked away winners in this year’s M&M Math Competition.

The competition, a project of engineering firm M&M Jamaica Limited, seeks to enhance the quality of mathematics education for high schools in St Elizabeth. [...]

SRC Honours Essay and Poster Winners Last Thursday, the Scientific Research Council, through its Technology and Education Unit, hosted its annual Essay and Poster Competition along with the Oratorical Competition awards at the Stella Maris Auditorium. [...]

Recycle and Win The Jamaica Yellow Pages launched the Recycle and Win competition at HalfWay-Tree Primary School in St Andrew. The six-week competition encouraged students for 30 primary schools in the Corporate Area and St Catherine to collect old directories. [...]

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Diaspora Connects With Young, Inner-City Entrepreneurs International Development Agency - CUSO International -has partnered with the Jamaica Diaspora Institute to create the Diaspora Youth Connect project.[...]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS APRIL - JUNE 2013

DBJ’s Microfinance Lending Window and Technical-Assistance Interventions The Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) makes available wholesale funds to micro-finance institutions (MFI) in Jamaica on a two-year rotating basis.[...]

JAMFA hails increased funding for MSMEs THE Jamaica Micro Financing Association (JaMFA) says it is pleased with the Government’s decision to pump an additional $1.4 billion into funding the growth and development of Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in Jamaica. [...]

JBDC helping Small Businesses According to Alleyne Graham, Marketing Manager of Jamaica Yellow Pages (JYP), they participated in the expo because the world is moving towards technology that is helping to drive business development [...]

JBDC Stages Small Business EXPO on May 21 In its continued bid to foster the development of the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sector, the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) will host its sixth annual one-day small business exposition on Tuesday May 21, at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston.[...]

Women Entrepreneurs Link With Global Network WEConnect International, the Washington- based non-profit organisation that connects women-owned businesses to global markets, was officially launched on April 9 at the United States Embassy, St Andrew. The local chapter is headed

by Jamaicans Yaneek Page and Ethnie Miller-Simpson. [...]

SEED Awards Now Open INNOVATIVE and inspiring social and environmental entrepreneurs from Jamaica and other parts of the world can win a tailor-made support package to help expand their business, as part of the 2013 SEED Awards, which opened yesterday. [...]

J$26.5m Training for Small Business Owners SOME 105 small business owners from communities in West Central St James are to benefit from a J$26.5 million training programme, which will enable them to better manage and ensure the sustainability of their operations. [...]

Be in the know

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i n Science, Technology and Innovation!

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS APRIL - JUNE 2013

Digicel, Mona School of Business Partner for ‘Back to Roots’ Initiative Eleven community organisations across Jamaica will be able to turn their activities into successful community businesses, thanks to a partnership forged between Digicel Foundation and the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, School of Business and Management – Office of Social Entrepreneurship (OSE). [...]

CEDA Supports Food Processors for Anuga 2013 in Germany Anuga 2013 is being held in Germany and the Caribbean Export Development Agency is providing funding to food processors in the Caribbean to participate. The trade show will be held from October 5-9 at the Koelnmesse, Cologne, Germany. [...]

Micro Financiers Focus on Small Businesses Jamaica’s small business investors are being urged to start looking beyond their traditional sources of investment and focus on newer emerging sectors to survive. [...]

ENERGY Paulwell’s Plan – Upgrade to Be Done By 2016 ENERGY minister Phillip Paulwell has set a deadline of January 2016 for the completion of the expansion and upgrade of the state-run oil refinery Petrojam. [...]

NEPA Starts Demand Assessment for Charcoal THE National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) has begun a demand assessment for charcoal, with particular focus on jerk centres, following a decision by the Government earlier this year to prohibit the export of the product. [...]

360 MW Energy Project Delay Irks PRIVATE Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) President Christopher Zacca says the body is “extremely disappointed” by another delay in the Office of Utilities Regulation’s (OUR) decision on the award of the 360 megawatt energy project. [...]

New Diesel Fuel Now At Pumps ENERGY Minister Phillip Paulwell said the new Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel (ULSD), which was introduced to the Jamaican market, is essential in preserving diesel engines with advanced emission controls as well as protecting the environment. [...]

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Innovation CALL: (876) 927-1771– 4 VISIT www.src.gov.jm

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS APRIL - JUNE 2013

Gov’t Eyeing $8B Investment in Biofuel Production MINISTER of Science, Technology, Energy, and Mining Phillip Paulwell is urging players in the private sector to put their money into the development of biofuels as an alternative to petroleumbased fuel. [...]

JPS, ATL Partner on Energy-Saving Retail Products THE Jamaica Public Service (JPS) and appliance giants Appliance Traders Limited (ATL) have partnered to provide energy-saving products and services to customers. [...]

Electricity Bidder Proposes LNG Power Barges AZUREST Partners and Cambridge Project Development are saying that natural gas electricity generation can happen in Jamaica in little over a year.

The two firms’ joint submission to the Office of Utilities Regulations (OUR) proposes to use natural gas-fired power barges, [...]

Jamaican Entity Bids to Construct Power Plant The first Jamaican entity to bid for the construction of a power plant on the island is confident that with its collective track record of achievements, its proposal can make the difference in lowering the cost of energy based on the use of proven technology with high efficiency and fuel flexibility. [...]

Guyana Says Petrocaribe Provides Significant Benefits Prime Minister Samuel Hinds says Guyana has benefitted significantly from the Venezuelan oil initiative, PetroCaribe, launched in 2005. [...]

More Energy Saving Devices Now Duty Free FOURTEEN additional energy efficiency and renewable energy devices can now be imported into Jamaica duty free. [...]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS APRIL - JUNE 2013

Samsung Unveils Digital Inverter With the high costs now associated with the use of electricity, consumers will now be happy to know that Samsung Electronics has unveiled in Jamaica a new refrigerator with a digital inverter that is guaranteed to save energy, automatically levels the power fluctuation, has more durability and a higher cooling performance to [...]

CARICOM Energy Policy in A Nutshell The CARICOM Energy Policy was approved by the Forty-First Special Meeting of the COTED on ENERGY held 1 March 2013, in Trinidad and Tobago. The Goal/Vision of the CARICOM Energy Policy [...]

ATL Expands Into Alternative Energy APPLIANCE Traders Limited (ATL) has expanded into the alternative energy business.

ATL Energy Solutions will add solar water heaters, photovoltaic panels and other devices for revewable power to the appliance retailers energy-efficient product line. [...]

WIGTON to Add 62% More Wind Power Wigton Windfarm Limited’s (WWFL) plans to start expansion this year.

WWFL projects that it will generate additional energy of 63 gigawatt-hours (GWh) per year from an extra capacity of 24 megawatts (MW) by 2015. [...]

Make Your Home More Energy Efficient As customers contend with the increasing cost of energy bill, they may often ask what their alternatives are.

But before you even consider costly renewable energy systems, you should first adopt a conservation approach. [...]

Visit our Caribbean Energy Information Platforms today !

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS APRIL - JUNE 2013

JPS Net Billing Programme Growing, Almost 100 Applicants Being Processed JPS is reporting that its net billing programme is gaining momentum as the Company has connected its second net billing customer, while 99 other applications are at various stages of being processed. [...]

JPS to ‘Empower’ Customers with New Energy-Saving Stores JAMAICA Public Service Company (JPS) will begin to roll out retail stores that will sell energy-saving products.

The Light and Power Company says the initiative will kick-start a more ‘empowering’ engagement with its customers going forward. [...]

ENVIRONMENT (The) JSIF Waste Management Champs THE Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) was yesterday named winner of the 2013 Jamaica Environmental Action Award (JEAA) in the waste management category. [...]

The Environmental Warden MANY people have made it their business to protect the environment, but Gary Blair is making a job of it.

Charged with finding the litterbugs, Blair, 28, is an environmental warden, who has the authority to enforce the country’s laws, acts and regulations against individuals who are caught engaging in unethical practices regarding the environment. [...]

Regional Countries Agree to Biosphere Reserves ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) – Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries are among several nations committed to a ministerial declaration and a three-year action plan that aims, among other things, to create at least one biosphere reserve in each Caribbean small island developing state. [...]

Celebrating Biodiversity JAMAICA has been ranked fifth among islands of the world in terms of endemic plants. The country also enjoys a high level of endemism for animal species. [...]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS APRIL - JUNE 2013

Green Grotto Caves First Attraction in the Caribbean to Receive Environmental Platinum Award Green Grotto Caves is Jamaica’s first tourism attraction to achieve EarthCheck’s highest accolade of Platinum Certification. Platinum Certification recognises 10 years of continuous reporting under the EarthCheck Benchmarking and Certification Program [...]

Caribbean Talks Conservation on Branson’s Island NECKER ISLAND, British Virgin Islands (AP) — Surrounded by a turquoise sea and a menagerie of exotic animals on a billionaire’s private island, political and business leaders gathered Friday to back an initiative aimed at expanding protection for the Caribbean’s imperiled coasts and waters. [...]

Japan Funds CARICOM’s Enviro Policy GEORGETOWN, Guyana — The Government of Japan is assisting the Caribbean Community (Caricom) to develop a regional integrated environmental policy which is intended to enhance environmental sustainability as a driver of investment, economic growth and a better quality of life in the region. [...]

Green Grotto Caves Gets International Environment Award Green Grotto Caves and Attractions in Discovery Bay, St Ann, was presented with the EarthCheck Platinum Plaque at a ceremony following the completion of an onsite certification audit by EC3 Global, [...]

Jamaica among Beneficiaries of Germany-Funded Climate Adaptation Programme The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) and the German Financial Corporation (KfW) have signed a programme geared towards reducing the risks of climate change on the Caribbean’s coastal population. [...]

FOOD PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT Mini Cassava Festival The Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) in association with the University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech) will be hosting a mini Cassava Festival coupled with the launch of a recipe book [...]

Consumers Go For Packaging PURCHASING managers of local supermarkets say packaging is important to consumers, and for the most part, local producers seem to have got it right. [...]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS APRIL - JUNE 2013

Fruit Purée Project Gets Nod Director of Agricultural marketing in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Sandor Pike, has indicated that plans by the Government to incorporate fruit purée in the National School Feeding Programme have already gained favour with thousands of schoolchildren. [...]

Are Food, Drugs and Product Safety Regulations In Jamaica Enough?

The work of the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is well known. Certainly, in the USA consumers readily check whether items sold for their consumption and use are FDA approved. [...]

HEALTH ISSUES Is Fast Food okay for your Kids?

PARENTS are often warned not to feed their children fast food, which is often listed as one of the factors driving childhood obesity. [...]

Healing Properties of Scallion Bulbus Allii fistulosi or spring onion, also known as Cong Bai in traditional Chinese medicine, is simply scallion to us here in Jamaica and is a staple seasoning in many dishes. [...]

The Art of De-stressing Hello, mi neighbour! There is no cheaper, quicker and more practical way to manage today’s stress than to take my mother’s advice: “No need to worry yuhself, God will provide.” [...]

UTAH Researchers Studying Benefits of Fasting Many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints fast as a way to grow closer to God, but Utah medical researchers want to know whether the practice is also reducing their risk of diabetes and heart disease. [...]

How the iPad is Changing Dental Practices and Taking Away Fear!

We are living in an age where technology is everywhere. You can control music in your house with your phone or have it talk to you and tell you where to find the nearest restaurant. [...]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS APRIL - JUNE 2013

INNOVATION Sweet Chocolate Dreams Innovative group offers hope to Jamaica’s struggling cocoa farmers. COCOA farmers who told the Jamaica Observer last week that they would rather leave their farms to be overrun by rats and birds because they can’t get paid for their produce may have found a glimmer of hope. [...]

NATURAL PRODUCTS Beauty in a Bottle:Innovation of Tropic Isle Living Whether it is a date night, hanging with the girls, or starting off the week with a bang, the main focus for women is always their hair. [...]

QUALITY MANAGEMENT Biomedical First Lab to be Accredited Biomedical Caledonia Medical Lab Limited, one of the oldest labs in Jamaica, has been accredited by the Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation (JANAAC), having achieved the ISO-15189 international standard for quality and competence. [...]

Jamaica Adopts New ISO Standards The Bureau of Standards Jamaica announces the adoption of the following International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Standards as Jamaican standards: ISO 23601:2009 Safety identification – Escape and evacuation plan signs AS 4123.6-2006 Mobile waste containers – Health, safety and environment [...]

SCIENCE EDUCATION What Can You Do With A Forensic Science Degree?

IF you are a big Law & Order fan, then you can very well appreciate the role of the forensic scientist in determining cause of death. But those who specialise in this area are not just limited to combing crime scenes, but are to be found putting their skills in several other [...]

Math Gets a Leg Up At Alpha Infant School – School Launches Math Expo to Increase Student Interest Alpha Infant school launched its mathematics expo, which is geared at changing the negative attitudes of parents and students towards the subject.

The 367 students at the school were exposed to the use of mathematics in their daily life. [...]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS APRIL - JUNE 2013

Playing With Numbers – Numeracy Pageant Boosts Math At Christiana Leased Primary CHRISTIANA, Manchester - When fifth and sixth graders Breanna Evans and Khalil Tracey - reigning ‘Miss Numbers’ and ‘Mr Geometry’ - walked away with the top prizes in the school’s Numeracy Pageant recently, they were breaking fresh ground. [...]

UWI urges Public to Donate Bodies for Research WITH the ever-rising cost of funeral expenses, members of the public can opt for a cheaper route by donating their bodies or those of their relatives to the Department of Basic Medical Sciences in the Faculty of Medical Science of the University of the West Indies Mona Campus, for scientific research. [...]

What Can You Do With An Animal Science Degree?

FOR some, working with animals is a dream job, because the animals can be easily controlled. They don’t talk back and at the end of the day you are helping to serve a greater good by ensuring that there is food on the table in many households. [...]

What Can You Do With A Horticulture Degree?

NICELY manicured lawns, exotic landscapes and lush gardens are not only lovely to look at, they also speak to the need for the continued training of horticulturists. Here in Jamaica, those desirous of studying the science, technology and business of plant cultivation are able to receive proper training by doing a major in tropical horticulture. [...]

Why a Mathematics Degree Makes Sense WHILE mathematical terms likes algebraic trigonometry, vectors and linear equations may not make sense to the average person, mathematics is at the centre of the advancement in science and technology and has helped to shape the modern world. [...]

Shipping Industry Participates in Math Expo Held at the University of the West Indies (UWI) on March 6, the exposition sought to help both students and teachers learn ways in which math is applied to daily tasks in different sectors. The expo was held under the theme, ‘Mathematically Charged: Empowered for Life’. [...]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS APRIL - JUNE 2013

More Investment Needed in Science Technology and Innovation in the Caribbean TURKEYEN, Greater Georgetown, Guyana (CARICOM) - Participants in the First Bi-Regional Dialogue (Caribbean–European Union (EU)) Workshop under the EUCARINET Project have called for increased investment in Science Technology and Innovation (STI) in the Region. [...]

Project 1000 to Benefit Schools Islandwide One thousand early childhood institutions and primary schools across the island will receive Information Communications Technologies (ICTs) through the Digicel Foundation’s Project 1000. The announcement was made on April 24 at a press briefing at Digicel’s global headquarters in Downtown Kingston. [...]

Digicel Donates Tablets to Port Royal Schools It was all smiles for students of the Port Royal Primary School yesterday as they took another step into the age of technology. [...]

SPISE Application Period Open For more information visit http://caribbeanscience.org

SCIENTISTS Jamaica Now At Forefront of Cancer Research, Says Dr Lowe RENOWNED Jamaican scientist Dr Henry Lowe and his cancer research team received a big boost over the last several weeks as one of their peer-reviewed research papers on the anti-cancer properties of the Jamaican Ball Moss has generated great interest in the international scientific community. [...]

More Success for Guinea Hen Weed YOU’VE no doubt heard about the Guinea Hen Weed and its potential for curing certain types of cancer, including those of the prostate, brain, breast, skin, lung and bladder. [...]

More Hope Coming for Cancer Patients Fresh signals emerging from work of noted Jamaican cancer researcher, Dr Henry Lowe, point to a much-needed reprieve for some cancer patients in Jamaica, and internationally as they could soon be well equipped to successfully combat the deadly disease. [...]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS APRIL - JUNE 2013

Scientific Breakthrough?

LOCAL researcher Dr Lawrence Williams says he has made a breakthrough which eliminates the need for laboratory testing of animals in the development of anti-inflammatory drugs. [...]

Jamaican Scientist Has Good News for Our Animals Dr Lawrence Williams, research consultant at the Scientific Research Council (SRC) is at it again as he has for the past 14 years been busy not only with his cancer research, but has been actively trying to save animals from laboratory testing with the development of his Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) [...]

TECHNOLOGY JN to Launch Jamaica’s ‘First’ Crowd-Funding Website www.isupportjamaica.com to allow global community to donate or lend funds to micro entrepreneurs.

JAMAICA National’s microfinance arm will next month launch a crowdfunding website that will allow entrepreneurs to access financing from people all over the world. [...]

Much to be earned from Mobile App - Robinson MINISTER of State in the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy, and Mining, Julian Robinson has said that there is room for the island’s young innovators to benefit tremendously from the growing mobile applications market around the globe. [...]

SBAJ Develops New IT Tool to Aid MSME’s Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises (MSMEs) in Jamaica suffer from poor records management, which prevents them from becoming bankable MSMEs. The Merit Integrated Management System software solution is a locally developed cloud-based business management system that was crafted by the Small Business Association of Jamaica (SBAJ) [...]

ICT as an Enabler of Growth and Development ABOUT two weeks ago, I delivered my contribution to the Sectoral Debate in Parliament. It was my second such presentation as Minister of State in the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy, and Mining, at which time, I presented Jamaica’s first National Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Roadmap. [...]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS APRIL - JUNE 2013

4,000 Jobs Created for Young Jamaicans in Virtual Economy The World Bank says a ground-breaking initiative has created thousands of jobs for young Jamaicans in the virtual global economy. The Washington-based financial institution announced that Digital Jam 2.0 - a digital job and market fair – has created employment for over 4,000 young people on online platforms. [...]

New Local Deals Website Blasts Off YOUNG entrepreneurs have teamed up to start an online platform, which allows subscribers to grab up to 50 per cent discount on goods and services.

Blast is a lifestyle brand which has a two-pronged approach. [...]

Wireless Broadband Licences by July THE Government plans to auction two telecommunications licences by July.

Approval for operators in the 700 megahertz (MHz) band will pave the way for the roll-out of 4G technology, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE), while the requirements demand that networks or services be deployed across 90 per cent of the country within five years. [...]

WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT Cabinet Approves Contract to Improve Sewage Treatment at 14 Health Facilities Cabinet has approved the award of contracts totalling some $846 million to implement sewage treatment solutions at 14 health facilities across the island, and provide portering, and cleaning services at the Kingston Public and Victoria Jubilee Hospitals. [...]

WORKSHOPS/SEMINARS Jamaica to Participate in Caribbean Career Confab In St Lucia Jamaican career expert Angela deFreitas will join other Caribbean career and youth development professionals at a major conference under the theme ‘Investing in the Future – Empowering Young People’. This gathering will take place from June 25 to 26 in St Lucia. [...]

Training Course in Malaysia The Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade wishes to forward for your attention information on a Resource Efficiency & Clean/Green Production for Sustainable Development Course on offer by the Government of Malaysia under the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP). [...]

Scholarships for MSC In Carbon Finance at the University of Edinburgh Applications are invited to join the MSc in Carbon Finance at the University of Edinburgh Business School, for the academic year commencing in September 2013.

Scholarships are available for applicants from the following countries: Any country in Africa or any Least Developed Country: £16k Deutsche [...]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS APRIL - JUNE 2013

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