Telecom Ministry gets computer donation

Minister of Telecommunications, Science and Technology, Jerold Thompson, has much to be pleased about. Last Friday, over US $30,000 worth of computer equipment was handed over to his ministry from Duquesne University under the Computers for Friends Fellowship Programme. {{more}}
Handing over the donation was community development fellow, Domenico Palombo, a student in Duquesne’s Graduate Centre for Social and Public Policy.
Computers for Friends, a collaboration of Duquesne University, the Pittsburgh Technology Council, YMCA and the US government, provides refurbished surplus computers to schools and community organisations around the world.
Palombo, a former US Peace Corps volunteer based here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, said, “The contribution would provide access to technology needed to keep St. Vincent and the Grenadines on the leading edge of the information economy.”
Palombo, who is currently here providing information technology training to local IT experts at the Institute of Technology based at Ottley Hall, told SEARCHLIGHT, “Although the donation is a small amount it is still a step in the right direction.”
“After being here in St. Vincent and Grenadines over the years I feel as if I am a Vincentian SVG is my home and I hope our fellowship would be able to continue with donations like this in the future,” Palombo stated.
The 135 pieces of equipment include fax machines, monitors and CPUs with fully operational Windows programmes.
The Telecommunications minister said the donation of computers would be used for delegates attending international conferences here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. “Most of the time we have delegates coming here for conferences and they would want to keep in touch with what’s happening back at home and to follow what’s happening internationally,” Thompson said.
The minister also stated that students who excelled in IT courses and community groups will also be able to get some of the computers.
Since the inception of Duquesne in 1997, the partnership has involved 25 fellows and served more than 30 agencies in the United States.