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Young people in Barbados stand to benefit from projects which are being supported by the Ministry of Commerce and Trade.
In his address to attendees at the recently held Information Society of Barbados awards ceremony at the Accra Beach Hotel, Minister Haynesley Benn revealed that while these projects covered various disciplines, the constant was a focus on youth development.
"We continue to support NIHERST, which is the National Institute of Higher Education Research Science and Technology in its popularisation of science and technology in the Caribbean through an event known as the Caribbean Youth Science Forum.?? This is a unique and vital platform for nurturing the region’s future scientists.?? This year, we are sending four sixth form students from the [Christ Church] Foundation School to Trinidad, to participate in the Forum," Mr. Benn revealed.
The 2012 Science and Technology Summer Camp and the ezLearner project for the development of web-based applications for subjects such as comprehension and mathematics, were two other endeavours which the Minister noted would aid the development of Information and Communication Technology in Barbados.??
Efforts have also been dedicated to assist local innovators, with the Commerce Minister noting that "The Ministry of Commerce and Trade has partnered with the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation to facilitate the 2nd prize winner of the 2010 National Innovation Competition in his research and development for a conceptual chemical project on the production of biodegradable food containers from cellulose that has been extracted from used plant materials."
In addition, the most recent project has incorporated the element of agriculture, with the aim of using SMS and other technologies to set up a test database of farmers, consumers and prospective clients and link consumers with farmers via direct marketing.