Science Technology and Innovation january march 2014 dmc edit

VOL.2, ISSUE # 1

JANUARY— MARCH 2014

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JUNUARY—MARCH 2014

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.

ESOF 2014 – Euro Science Open Forum Learn more>>>

IN THIS ISSUE: 1 | AGRICULTURE 2 | BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT 3 | CLIMATE CHANGE

Participants taking part in SRC Sauce Workshop 2014.

AGRICULTURE

5 | ENERGY 8 | ENVIRONMENT 9 | FOOD PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT 9 | HEALTH ISSUES

Growing Lettuce with Fish Waste It started out as a class project a little over a year ago, but now university students Henkel Valentine, O’Brian Clarke, and Jovan Johnson have transformed their idea into a sustainable business with dividends not only for their pockets, but the environment as well. [...]

10 | INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 11 |

INNOVATION

11 | MEDICAL MARIJUANA 12 | SCIENCE (GENERAL) 13 | SCIENCE EDUCATION

Greenhouse Competition kicks off in five St Ann Schools Vice-President of Jamaica Greenhouse Growers’ Association Jervis Rowe has urged students in St Ann to drop the stigma many young people have associated with agriculture and to see it as an area in which they can excel […] ...more on page 2/

13 | SCIENCE (RESEARCH) 13 | SCIENTISTS 14 | TECHNOLOGY 14 | WORKSHOP/SEMINARS

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JANUARY—MARCH 2014

CARIBBEAN S&T EVENTS FOR

Government drafting Policy on Organic A\agriculture The Government is currently drafting a policy on organic agriculture as it seeks to advance the development of a modern, efficient and internationally competitive sector. [...]

JANUARY - MARCH 2014 FEB 26 – CCIC Sensitization and Wastewater Forum MAR 19-20 – Workshop on Making Body Lotions

Government Launches Production of Castor Oil Beans

MAR 25-28 – Sauce Processing Workshop

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has embarked on a drive to have a sustained production of castor oil beans in the island to meet the demand of local and overseas markets. [...]

Agri Ministry’s Product Testing Capacity gets boost A total of $67.9 million worth of laboratory equipment has been handed over to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to boost its capacity for pro...read all about it

JSIF helps Manchester Tea Farmers Jamaica enjoys a well-earned reputation in the global beverage industry for premium coffee, rums, and beer. Soon, teas will ...read all about it

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Wolmer’s Teen takes on Tech Entrepreneurship

SCAN ME AND LOG ON!

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EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLD Wayne Dawkins is already taking the steps to realize his dreams of becoming one of Jamaica’s tech entrepreneurs.

The Wolmer’s Boys’ sixth former heeded the advice of one of his role models and was inspired to attend StartUp Weekend Jamaica [...]

(Cover image: Sauce Workshop 2014)

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JUNUARY—MARCH 2014

Business Development Grant Opportunity Don’t miss out on receiving a direct assistance grant to support the development of your business!

Grants of up to €30,000 can be received by firms that meet the eligibility criteria, whose applications are accepted and are exporting or demonstrate their potential to export goods and services. [...]

Jamaican Wins Investment to Create ‘Disney-Type Publishing Company’ KINGSTON, Jamaica – Pitch Room winner, publisher Kellie Magnus, wants to capitalize her children’s publishing company, Jackmandora, with $200,000 USD ($21 million JMD) for a 30 percent share in her company.

The publisher of the popular “Little Lion” storybook series aims to branch out into textbooks in an effort to snag a slice of the over $2 [...]

CLIMATE CHANGE A Case for Compensation for Climate Change Destruction CAN the countries of the Caribbean Community and Common Market (Caricom) take international legal action against the states that are warming the planet with devastating consequences, not only for their survival, but in some cases even their existence?

This question comes into sharp focus in the wake of the damaging effects of flooding and landslides in [...]

Guyana wants Caricom to be more Aggressive with Climate Change Issues Guyana says it intends to push Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries for more aggressive action to deal with the issue of climate change following recent adverse weather conditions in the region.

President Donald Ramotar said that the recent floods in the Eastern Caribbean have resulted in millions of dollars in damage as well as the loss of [...]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JANUARY—MARCH 2014

Climate Change a Priority for New Caricom Chairman Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves said yesterday that he would use his six-month term as chairman of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) grouping to deal with the deleterious effects climate change is having on the socio-economic future of the 15-member bloc.

St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia and Dominica are now emerging from the effects of [...]

Climate Change and the Caribbean There can be little doubt that the climate is changing. In the UK we are seeing unprecedented flooding, in the United States they are shivering in the prolonged cold of the ‘polar vortex’, and the Eastern Caribbean is still recovering from the floods and storms that occurred at the end of December.

Sadly, the natural disaster [...]

Climate Change: Prevention better, less costly than cure Anyone who has been observing weather patterns worldwide over the past few years will notice the increasing effects of climate change.

Unusually cold weather in the United States south in recent weeks, as well as the unseasonal rains that devastated a number of Eastern Caribbean islands over the last Christmas holidays, have been just two of [...]

New Caribbean Body to Promote ‘Green’ Businesses A new World Bank-supported business hub, inaugurated here on Monday, will support the growing number of clean energy and climate technology ventures in the Caribbean region.

The Caribbean Climate Innovation Centre (CCIC) is the first of its kind in the region and will help reduce the significant threats posed by climate change through the creation of [...]

Visit our Caribbean Energy Information Platforms today !

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JUNUARY—MARCH 2014

ENERGY Boost for Renewable Energy Programme The Government’s renewable energy programme has received a boost from the United Kingdom, which has provided a grant of $4.8 million to the Wigton Windfarm at Rose Hill, in Manchester.

The grant will fund the installation of a solar panel roof for a training lab at the facility, and the purchase of a wind turbine. Both [...]

The Hunt for Cheaper Energy for Jamaica: How About Biomass Briquettes? – Part 1 Jamaica is experiencing four main challenges at this time: food security, an economic downturn, high crime rate, and high energy costs. These challenges are closely related. According to the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN), Jamaica imported J$54.8 billion worth of food items between January and July 2013, in comparison to J$48 billion for the corresponding [...]

Biomass to Briquettes Pt II – The Hunt for Cheaper Energy Sources for Jamaica Biomass Briquettes are formed by compressing bio-waste (paper, leaves, bagasse, etc). When biomass briquettes are burnt, they give off more energy than the uncompressed bio-waste and much less ash. The method of compression and the type of feedstock (material used to create the briquettes) dictate their characteristics.

Biomass briquettes are used for cooking as well as [...]

River Power – Jamaica Could Double Hydroelectric Output Using Four Rivers A pre-feasibility study on the prospects for hydropower generation from five of Jamaica’s rivers has indicated the country could nearly double the existing hydropower capacity if investors tap four of those sources.

The study, conducted by SP Studio Pietrangeli, an Italian consulting engineering services firm, on behalf of the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ), found that [...]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JANUARY—MARCH 2014

In search of cheaper energy For Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell, a planned British-funded training laboratory at the Wigton wind farm complex in Rose Hill, Manchester, is one more step in the long, hard drive towards competitive energy costs for Jamaicans.

Wigton Windfarm, which is a subsidiary of the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) recently received a grant of $4.8 million from [...]

Energy committee urges more due diligence in 360MW project The Government’s proposed 360 megawatt power plant was again thrust into the public spotlight with a call by the Energy Monitoring Committee (EMC) yesterday for more due diligence on the project.

According to the EMC, a number of “important items” need to be thoroughly[…]

Fuel emission reduction policy The Government of Jamaica has reiterated its commitment to reducing air pollution caused by harmful vehicle emissions and inefficient motor vehicles, through the implementation of the Jamaica National Energy Policy (NEP).

Julian Robinson, State minister in the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining said the NEP will, among other things, “discourage the importation of inefficient [...]

JPS still negotiating Bogue LNG deal Six months after a preliminary deal was signed to bring natural gas to the Bogue power plant in Montego Bay, St James, discussions between the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) and a consortium led by Canadian firm Fueling Tech Incorporated (FTI) International Group are still ongoing.

Head of Corporate Communication at the JPS, Winsome Callum told the Financial [...]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JUNUARY—MARCH 2014

Sharing German Energy It wasn’t difficult for German Ambassador Josef Beck to identify renewable energy and climate change as two areas to give special attention when he arrived here in 2011.

After all, Germany has more than two decades’ experience in developing renewable energy systems, and has targeted the year 2050 by which it intends to have a “green [...]

Wisynco finds partner for cogeneration plant WISYNCO Group says it has already identified a partner for its cogeneration plant.

When the company first signalled its intention to invest in the energy savings facility, it noted that it would opt for a system that uses a liquid propane gas generator to both power its chilled water system and produce carbon dioxide to be [...]

Solar Devices, LED Bulbs To See Tax-Free Light The Government is making good on its promise to remove the import tax on solar equipment and LED bulbs, Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell disclosed yesterday.

“I am happy to say that the Cabinet, this week, … has given drafting instructions for the law to be amended immediately so that those of you who were very happy [...]

Cayman Islands turns to electric vehicles The Cayman Islands is turning toward electric vehicles in an effort to better utilise renewable energy sources. The country sees this as leading the ...read all about it

Jamaican Patents Hydrogen Energy Source Jamaica-born real-estate entrepreneur and inventor Phillip Scott says he is now weighing his options in relation to selecting partners for the commerce...read all about it

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JANUARY—MARCH 2014

Jamaica Energy Partners to Raise Capital through JSE Jamaica Energy Partners (JEP), a foreign-owned producer of electricity, is about to tap the Jamaican market for capital and has hired First Global Financial Services (FGFS) as investment bankers.

First Global has declined to say the nature of the fundraising to be done for JEP, only that it aims to tap local and international sources. However, [...]

Government Energy-Conservation Efforts Reap Results “If the cost of energy is not drastically reduced, then our hopes for meaningful, sustainable economic growth Economic growth will never be realized”...read all about it

ENVIRONMENT

Jamaica’s Forestry Law to be Revised Jamaica’s environment minister has announced that a revision of the country’s Forest Act is to commence shortly.

Minister Robert Pickersgill said the revision is aimed at making the legislation more broad-based and current and to allow the Forestry Department to have a greater impact in carrying out its mandate. [...]

Environmentalists to Work Closely on Biodiversity Conservation CIVIL SOCIETY organisations (CSOs) have come away from the recent Panos Caribbean communication-training workshop in Kingston with a view to working […]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JUNUARY—MARCH 2014

FOOD PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT High School Student Creates Food Seasoning Product At a time when focus is being placed on entrepreneurship and small business development, one high school student has developed...read all about it

Biotech R&D now in Eastern Caribbean Jamaica’s Biotech Research Development Institute is moving the Eden Gardens brand of nutraceuticals, teas and porridges into the Eastern Caribbean...read all about it

HEALTH ISSUES

8 foods that contribute to bloating It’s bad enough when you have to deal with the bloating that comes with your menstrual cycle, but many of us can also attest to at times looking and feeling 10 weeks pregnant without PMS as an excuse.

It’s definitely not the most ideal situation when you are striving to look your best, but apart from [...]

6 Ways that Cleaning Can Alleviate Stress After a long day at the office, the first thing you want to do is come home and clean the house, right? If your answer is no, don’t worry. Many people associate cleaning more with drudgery than relaxation, but there are several reasons why cleaning can be a great stress reliever. Some of these reasons [...]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JANUARY—MARCH 2014

Facts about Salt Most sodium is consumed in the form of sodium chloride, which is table salt. Other forms of sodium are also found in food, so watch out for salt and ...read all about it

Benefits of Black Sesame Seeds I know many will scrunch up their faces and ask themselves, “They come in black?” Beyond the sprinkling of its paler counterpart on a hamburger bun[…]

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

ICT must play major role in Logistics Hub Outgoing president and Chief Operating Officer of Flow and Columbus Business Solutions, Michele English, believes that Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) will be one of the most important components in the establishment of Jamaica’s Logistics Hub. If it executed properly, she said, it will have a huge impact on the island’s economy. [...]

Katalyxt Round Table Talk Katalyxt is hosting its 2014 live-streamed ‘Round Table Talk’ this Tuesday, February 11th at 6:30pm. The theme of the discussion is “Leveraging Information and Technology for Business Success.” The Round Table panelists will include Bruce Scott of PricewaterhouseCoopers, Winsome Minott of Katalyxt, Vanessa Clarke-Austin of Scientific Research Council, Charles Lewis of EXIM Bank, [...]

Cassava Piece gets Help with New Computer Lab The vision of two Germans to enhance educational opportunities in underserved communities, was realised recently with the launch of an Information Technology (IT) unit at the Help Establish Library Projects (HELP) in Jamaica Education Centre, Cassava Piece, St Andrew.

The centre established five years ago, was founded jointly by Hilmar Keding and Dr Birte Timm under [...]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JUNUARY—MARCH 2014

INNOVATION Young Innovator Educating The Nation’s Youth Online At 23 years old, Gordon Swaby has already figured out the trajectory that he wants to take to achieve his personal and entrepreneurial dreams, and the international community is already taking notice.

In March 2012, Swaby launched the online social learning platform, EduFocal, for students pursuing the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) and Caribbean Secondary Education [...]

MEDICAL MARIJUANA Marijuana May Smoke Out HIV/AIDS Researchers have known for decades that marijuana can provide an enormous benefit to patients suffering from HIV/AIDS because of its ability to[…]

Canada Wants Weed

to

Canada is willing to purchase marijuana from Jamaica, a lucrative deal that could potentially earn billions of dollars for the country on an annual basis.

Blaine Dowdle, chief executive officer of Canada-based MedCannAccess, is urging Jamaica act quickly and seize the vast economic opportunity that could come from legalising marijuana and establishing an export market [...]

No Time Frame For Medical Ganja Legislation – Golding There is no timetable when the Jamaican Government will enact legislation that will enable the country to cash in on the billion-dollar global medical marijuana market.

That admission came from Justice Minister Mark Golding yesterday.

“We agree that there is an opportunity here and we are anxious [to ensure] that we do not lose this opportunity,” Golding [...]

Delano Seiveright takes ganja to the Jamaica Stock Exchange Above ground, ganja remained a pariah for decades. Underground, however, the weed has flourished, defying all legal constraints. Luckily, it seems.

All of a sudden, ganja has burst forth from underground and has caught the unprecedented attention of the world. […]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JANUARY—MARCH 2014

US Drug Policy Fuels Push for Legal Pot Worldwide In a former colonial mansion in Jamaica, politicians huddle to discuss trying to ease marijuana laws in the land of the late reggae musician and cannabis evangelist Bob Marley. In Morocco, one of the world’s top producers of the concentrated pot known as hashish, two leading political parties want to legalise its cultivation, at least [...]

Ganja Green Light this Year Paulwell says Jamaica must not be left behind as world takes on marijuana Jamaica will this year join a virtual tidal wave of countries across the globe in decriminalising ganja, forerunner to the establishment of a medicinal marijuana industry estimated to be worth billions of dollars.

The undertaking was given to the Cannabis Commercial and Medicinal Research [...]

Medical Marijuana, Medicaid Bills Likely Up for Vote Monday Many controversial proposals – including one allowing limited access to medical marijuana and one prohibiting the governor from expanding access to Medicaid – are expected to be debated on the floor of the Georgia House of Representatives today.

The 30th day of the legislative session is likely to go late into the night. Today is Crossover [...]

St. Lucia will not Board ‘Ganja Ship’ CASTRIES, St. Lucia, Mar 18, CMC – National Security Minister Phillip La Corbiniere has indicated that the St Lucia Government would not support […]

SCIENCE GENERAL Jamaica Names Representatives to Joint Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation with South Africa The Government of Jamaica has named five representatives to the Joint Committee of the Jamaica/South Africa Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation.[...]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JUNUARY—MARCH 2014

SCIENCE EDUCATION Science Education gets a boost from the Scientific Research Council with the introduction of INVOCAB Project The Scientific Research Council on Thursday (February 6) launched a joint partnership project titled “Improving Innovation Capacities in the Caribbean (INVOCAB).”

This EU funded project was created to improve innovation in selected schools in the Caribbean through a targeted 16 primary and secondary schools, eight (8) each in Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica.. [...]

Math Development Plan gets going A major initiative aimed at enhancing the teaching and learning of mathematics in public schools across the island is underway.

The thrust is being spearheaded by the National College for Educational Leadership (NCEL), in collaboration with the National Mathematics Programme of the Ministry of Education.

The response comes amidst concerns regarding poor student performance particularly at the [...]

SCIENCE RESEARCH Local Lionfish Research makes Scientific Journal A four-member team of Jamaican scientists working at the International Centre for Environment and Nuclear Sciences (ICENS), University of the West Indies, Mona, has had its groundbreaking research on the lionfish published in Food and Chemical Toxicology, one of the world’s leading platforms for high-quality, peer-reviewed, full-text scientific journals. [...]

SCIENTISTS Scientist Reports Finding New Compound in Jamaican Ganja Local scientist Hawthorne Watson says he has isolated a new chemical compound from ganja, but is yet to determine whether it has any medicinal value.

Watson named the chemical compound as Cannabitriol (CBT), and said that while clinical studies have not yet been initiated [...]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JANUARY—MARCH 2014

TECHNOLOGY C@ribnet Demo Makes Impact at ICT Ministerial Meeting Ministers and delegates to the Caribbean Community’s Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) on Information and Communications Technology (ICT), led by the Prime Minister of Grenada, Dr the Rght Honourable Keith Mitchell, were given a demonstration of the cutting edge of technology in the Region.

The opening in Grand Anse, Grenada of the 48th Special [...]

Technology Changing Teachers’ Role Teachers who do not adapt to the demands of the new technology-driven classroom will become a relic of the past as much as textbooks, key educators are predicting.

This as educational institutions, in moving with the times, ramp up the use of technology.

“One of the things I am finding is that, this thing of having textbooks [...]

WORKSHOPS/SEMINAR

Cleaner Fuels Confab Today Jamaica is to host a two-day regional workshop on cleaner fuels at the Knutsford Court Hotel, starting today, February 3.

Dubbed the Cleaner Fuels and More Efficient Vehicles Conference for the Caribbean, the event was initiated by the Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles (PCFV) and the Global Fuel Economy Initiative (GFEI), [...]

British High Commission Staging Private/Public Partnership Conference The British High Commission yesterday shared details of a public/private partnership (PPP) conference it has planned for next week and expressed hope that the discussions would lead to projects that will help Jamaica and the wider Caribbean.

Scheduled for February 19 and 20 at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, the conference is being held under the theme [...]

Breakthrough for Music-Math Research A special cohort of calculus and college math 1A students at the University of Technology got to experience an exclusive music therapy session at the Black History Math Research Workshop last month.

Prior to the symposium, Glenroy Pinnock, lecturer and mathematics and statistics research coordinator, claimed he was on a mathematical music revolution, [...]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JUNUARY—MARCH 2014

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JANUARY—MARCH 2014

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