Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, has urged youth to take full advantage of the much-touted Centre for Excellence in ICT, which was officially commissioned on Friday at the Dominica State College (DSC).
The project, valued at over $500,000, is a collaborative effort between the Government of Dominica and the Republic of India.
“It is left to you, the young people because this Labour Party government has placed before you the opportunity,” he said at the centre’s opening ceremony. “What you do with the opportunity now, depends on yourself, because oftentimes… we fail to take advantage of those that are there, present before us, and we look for things that are beyond.”
He stated that the hope is to harness and mold the natural talent and intelligent present in youth, and with the help of experts from India, propel them to greater things.
Minister for Information Technology, Kelver Darroux called the event a “dream come true,” highlighting the various economic and social benefits of the initiative.
“…transform the technical and intellectual abilities and capabilities for people, but also, to significantly increase the GDP in Dominica, by creating employment opportunities, high quality paying jobs, increased national productivity, and create the enabling environment to enhance every sector of the economy…,” Darroux articulated.
He described the accomplishment as a “testimony of the fortitude, determination, and perseverance of this Labour Party administration, to fulfil its promise,” not only to the people of Dominica, but also to the government’s international partners.
High Commissioner of India to Dominica, Gauri Shanka Gupta, noted that Information Technology (IT) has revolutionized the world, and has become “an essential part of our education.”
The Centre of Excellence is outfitted with two computer labs, each containining 36 computers, an administrative block, library, study room, and central server room. The centre is fully equipped with state-of-the-art electronic equipment and software tools, with high capacity internet capabilities.
Courses offered at the centre will include: Developing with Java (basic and advanced), Software Business Processes, Communication and Networking, Web Design and Application, and Relational Database.
Course participants will then be internationally certified through App Tech, after the duration of their training.
It is anticipated that 500 students will be trained in various ICT disciplines at the centre, over the initial two-year period. The program will also encompass the training of 50 local trainer of trainers, to replace the Indian team currently station in Dominica for two years.
The trainer of trainers program is expected to begin during the week of June 30 to August 21, 2016. The trainer of trainers will comprise of IT professionals from both the public and private sectors.
Someone please go check why so many internet cafes have been installed and inaugurated in \dominica over the years and in particular schools and yet after months they are ill equipped, why?.
These centres are put in place not for what it really means, to produce skilled students, but to promote PR for these politicians to be seen to be doing something, in particular this questionable Prime Minister who has to be accountable or failed to be to the people od Dominica. He has operated the most corrupt system in Dominica, the so called Red Clinic and the Director of audit sat back and allow it to continue. To have people que up for money and shout ” we love our PM”, is abusive by nature, insulting humanely, taking poor and vulnerable families for granted. Where is the improvement, has it reduced poverty? No it has not, just created poverty.
There is no meaningful, sustainable development in Dominica and do not depend on this inept, corrupt labour party government to make a…
he Centre of Excellence is outfitted with two computer labs, each containining 36 computers, an administrative block, library, study room, and central server room. The centre is fully equipped with state-of-the-art electronic equipment and software tools, with high capacity internet capabilities.
To be honest the pictures do not give a just reflection of the changes.
Hon Minister, you should reach out to the diaspora, cause nuff man are tech stars working from agile start ups to Fortune 500 firms. Put out an open invitation.
That is not making sense. U created a cafe but we want spending monies. We can’t afford to go to College. Government tell you to attend then u can’t do exams cause they didn’t pay or ur name not on list. So what is the point of educational facilities when the normal person can’t attend.
DNO please investigate and let us know who are the “Indian-looking” guys in the first pic and moreso what their affiliation is to this project.
Many thanks
“The project, valued at over $500,000, is a collaborative effort between the Government of Dominica and the Republic of India.”
It was the second sentence in the article.
What`s your point….?
Good job. People remember that there are so many Indians who need a center like this, but it was given to us so please take care of it . Avoid all the markings, graffiti, eating and drinking on and around the equipment. As a young person myself I’m disgusted by the habit of most Dominicans to deface and destroy public property .
Young people emulate what excellence ? Excellent in corruption, nepotism and paternalistic behaviours aided and abetted by people in the private sector like Donald Peters and others who by the way were Freedom now more labor than labor. Another one is that boy they call Cecil Shillingford. A so called disaster specialist who could be heard on Q95 criticising the government pre Erika, during Erika and post Erika is now heard on the radio praising the government for being on track as far as disaster management is concerned. A man who had nothing good to say about government and the office of Disaster management is now heard telling the world that Dominicans are more prepared than they were pre Erika when he knows nothing has been done since Erika. Shelters have been compromised, homes ,communities are compromised shelter managers and their assistants have been either displaced or suffering from post Erika stress yet we are prepared. What total dishonesty eh boy.
I hope that Dominican youths take advantage of what is being offered to them and stop blaming the government
. I hope Francisco give encouraging remarks on this one, Is people like him that is killing our youth mentally.
People like him? Or a scheming, lying and tieffing PM that that youth is being asked to emulate.
Congratulations
Why didn’t you speak out on behalf of the youth with regard to child sexual abuse, molestation, and pornography which is at an all time high in this little isle. Man ou bien hypocrite! and dangerous.
Thats not the time for that…idiot…why all u dont let the lawyer resign…..damn hypocrite….we took care of our problem…..do the same
When Skeritt says to the young people, “the Labor Party Government has placed before you the opportunity,” the young people of Goodwill should ask him what kind of opportunity is he talking about. It cannot be an opportunity to excel in sports, when he has refused to grant the Improvement Community of Goodwill permission to fix Lindo Park, even though, they do not have to defend on the same Labor Party Government for financial assistance. The young people of Roseau should also ask him, what kind of opportunity is he talking about, when the UWP had all the structures ready to build a multi sports stadium, he trashed it, and instead, built a Cricket Stadium, and for sixteen years they have had no international sporting facility to play basketball, netball, football, table tennis, to name a few. The opportunity they had to kick a football at the back of the stadium was taken away from them and given to the Chinese building the hospital, to reside.
Don’t these Ministers know when to wear a suit. Whats up with those shirts they keep wearing?
High tech ?? That room looks like an INTERNET CAFE some where in India..
Sure there’s more to it than that.
Stupes….Skerrit cannot motivate anyone because he is not the example that motivates young people to do anything that’s right. The man just has a big mouth. He is a failed leader who can only motivate young people to lawlessness
explain your nonsesne…..
That`s what the nonesense is “Redd Hott”
while they talking the Government working, we Dominicans know better, well done Labour