January 28, 2021

Minister of Education, Youth and Information Fayval Williams has welcomed the launch of the Dr Joseph Tait STEAM Infusion project at Jamaica College. Speaking at the launch and opening of the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) Laboratory on Wednesday, Williams said the initiative, which is funded by Dr Tait, is in line with the thrust of the Ministry to enable students to have greater access to the technology and the resources needed to thrive as 21st century learners. “At the Ministry, we are committed to the task of ensuring that none of our students is left behind as we seek to eliminate the digital divide that exists in our society. This divide has been made even more evident with the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for our classrooms to be moved to the virtual space,” she said. The Minister argued that the opening of the Laboratory is one of the best examples of how crucial it is for partnerships to be encouraged in education. “Because of the outreach of one man and his team, many young men will be able to be inspired in this lab, opening up to them a world of possibilities,” Williams said. She noted that, overall, the STEAM Infusion project is forward-thinking and innovative. “If Jamaica is to be the place to live, work, raise families and do business, then our workforce, through our education sector, has to be equally competitive on the global market. The investment truly begins in education.” She further noted that the STEAM movement has been earning traction over the years in Jamaica and other countries. She added: “I am sure we will reap the reward of Dr Tait’s investment for years to come and I am sure there will be more hands available to join him and others like him on this journey to improve the education of our children.” For his part, Board Chairman, Jamaica College, Michael Bernard, said the school aims to be amongst the leading institutions in Jamaica in the use of technology. In his remarks, Dr Tait said he feels “a certain amount of excitement at what this could hold for the future and I also feel a certain amount of gratitude… [that] this little country boy from Clarendon could do this for his college and for his country”. “I am grateful for the support of the Jamaica College community,” he said, adding that he will also be supporting the implementation of an amphitheatre for the dramatic arts at the school.

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Floyd Green, has endorsed the proposed 450-acre Land We Love Organic Greenhouses project, the largest commercial organic farm to be established in the Caribbean, hailing it as impressive and one that will supplement agricultural production in the country. Speaking at a briefing meeting with Jamaica-born Canadian Michael Allen, who has 20 years experience in agriculture and organic greenhouse business in Canada, Green welcomed the project, stating that there was a need for large projects that will provide economies of scale as well as consistency in production and quality, factors that were critical for sustained agricultural growth. Green also stated that organic farming would provide the opportunity for niche marketing with crops such as ginger and turmeric having a huge export market potential. The Agriculture Minister expressed a keen interest in the training component of the project that will include collaboration with universities and high schools even as he called for the setting up a training facility. This facility, he said, would, among other things, create a hub and robust training programme for the region, as well as better equip seasonal farm workers. The project, which will be located on former sugar cane lands in St Elizabeth, will be carried out in three phases over a seven-year period, with the construction of 10-acre greenhouses, a storage facility and a 145-acre field crop area and will provide employment for over 350 persons, targeting 70 per cent women. Crops to be cultivated include tomatoes, lettuce, bell peppers, strawberries, turmeric, ginger and garlic. The project will feature the Cravo retractable roof production system designed for tropical climate and will be solar powered.