#Kingston, December 10, 2023 – Students attending the St. Catherine-based Homestead Primary and Infant School  now have access to a smartroom, which is equipped with information and communications technology (ICT) devices to enhance learning.

Digicel Foundation retrofitted an existing space to accommodate the smartroom, which represents an investment of US$60,000.

It boasts 12 laptops, 12 tablets, a smart board, a printer, air-conditioning units and is furnished with desks and chairs. There is also a smart lock for safety, and the school installed a camera system.

The room can accommodate 24 students at any one time.

Teachers received several days of intensive training on how to use the smart board.

Minister of Education and Youth, Hon. Fayval Williams, who delivered the keynote address during Wednesday’s (December 6) opening of the facility, said she was pleased that “a private corporate entity has reached out to another of our public educational institutions to help with its infrastructure and teaching and learning programmes”.

“We are also happy for this project, as it fits right in with our focus in introducing Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics  (STEM) education and technical, vocational education and training in a more expansive way at the lower levels of the system than we now do,” she noted.

Minister Williams said the rapid technological advances and the move towards a knowledge-based society require a reassessment of the content and delivery of education to better prepare students for the challenges of the 21^st century.

As such, she said that children must be provided with a good foundation that will enable them to perform with confidence in the digital age.

Social Development Consultant with the Digicel Foundation, Miguel Williams, in his remarks, informed that the company has invested more than US$630,000 in the establishment of 10 smartrooms in primary schools across the island by 2024.

He noted that the smartroom initiative forms part of Digicel Foundation’s Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics  (STEAM) project, which is  aimed at helping to bridge the digital divide.

“We believe that by investing in education, particularly in STEAM, we are investing in the future leaders, scientists, engineers, and creative minds who will drive our nation forward,” he noted.

“The world is rapidly evolving, and it is imperative that our young minds are equipped with the skills and knowledge that will empower them to thrive in an ever-changing landscape,” Mr. Williams said.

Principal of the school, Sophia Deer, noted that the smartroom will not only advance STEAM education but support the institution’s special education programme.

“We are really grateful,” she said.

Member of Parliament for St. Catherine South Central, Dr. Andrew Wheatley, said that the investment is good for the school and the community and urged the students to make good use of the investment.

“We are advancing the education process at Homestead, and this smartroom falls in line with the Government’s commitment to establish smart communities and promote greater appreciation for technology,” he said.

Contact: Garfield L. Angus

Release: JIS

December 10, 2023 – Youth leaders representing the Commonwealth’s 56 countries have urged leaders at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai to move beyond speeches and deliver concrete action to safeguard the planet.

Their call is at the heart of a new report launched on 8 December 2023 during an intergenerational dialogue organised by the Commonwealth Youth Climate Change Network (CYCN) and the Commonwealth Secretariat.

The report outlines the climate concerns of young people in the Commonwealth and proposes specific actions for governments to engage them in decision-making, underlining that the “hope of tackling climate change lies with youth”.

During the dialogue, youth leaders expressed disappointment at the lack of action taken by countries in response to a wealth of recommendations they had presented at COP26 in Glasgow.

As countries negotiate the outcomes of COP28, they called on governments to focus on creating conditions that allow young people to share their experiences on climate risks, showcase their work and influence policymaking.

Opening the dialogue, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, described young people, who make up 60 per cent of the Commonwealth’s population, as “humanity’s greatest asset”.

She said:

“Young people are among those facing the harshest consequences of the climate crisis. Despite this, they embody the spirit of hope, using their ingenuity and passion to deliver tangible climate solutions.

“It is our duty to engage and listen to young people on policies and practices shaping climate mitigation and adaptation efforts across all levels.”

The Secretary-General added: “The report’s recommendations offer countries a blueprint to engage young people as strategic partners in climate action for their future – a future that relies on the health of our planet.”

Chevaughn Brown, Membership lead of the Commonwealth Youth Climate Change Network, said the report gave young people a voice in shaping their future.

He added: “A common future can be achieved if we treat the future as the present. With decisive planning and making the right choices, climate change can be just stories of what could have been a distant past.”

The dialogue was designed to provide young people with a platform to engage with leaders, including the Commonwealth Secretary-General, on climate risks and support structures for youth-led climate action, innovation, and ocean conservation. It

To amplify youth-oriented solutions to pressing ocean issues, the Commonwealth Blue Charter and the Commonwealth Youth Climate Change Network launched a specialised Commonwealth Ocean Youth Working Group.

Ibiso Ikiroma-Owiye, Chairperson of the Commonwealth Ocean Youth Working Group, stressed that youth participation in climate change processes is not a privilege but a fundamental right.

She said: “Young people deserve a seat at the table and should not have to struggle to finance the implementation of innovative projects for our shared and sustainable future.”

The dialogue was part of a series of events being hosted this year to mark 2023/4 as the Year of Youth.

The ‘Commonwealth Youth Policy Recommendations on Climate Change’ report was produced by the Commonwealth Youth Climate Change Network, with the Commonwealth Secretariat’s support.

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer 

#Guyana, December 10, 2023 – “We shall never be defeated, we will be successful, no enemy, no one, no one can take away this success from us.” These are the words of Irfaan Ali, the president of Guyana as he visited the Venezuela threatened Essequibo on December 6th.

The president visited Essequibo and delivered a powerful and empowering speech to the residents as their home is threatened by the claim over the land by Venezuela.

Ali, reassured the people of Essequibo that the region belongs to them and Guyana, and no one else.

“Essequibo belongs to Guyana, Essequibo belongs to every single Guyanese,” he stated.

“No one shall [rise] over us,” he also said.

Ali starts his address as a light shower of rain fell saying, “Good morning Essequibo, good morning Guyana, there is a gentle drizzle, as we say here in Guyana, and this gentle drizzle is a reminder that we are all together under the one banner of humanity, and we are all together in this country under the one banner of Guayna, [whether we are from Essequibo, Berbise or Demerara, we are together under that one powerful concept and that concept is that we are Guyanese.”

Ali continued to initiate a call and response, solidifying the identity of his people.

“Let me hear you say that, we are Guyanese,” he maintained, as the people repeated.

President Ali expressed to the people that Guyana is responding to the issue with Venezuela by leading by example and in “love.”

He added that Guyana is responding by banding together, “connecting hands” in peace and love which he says shows the world that Guyana believes in human connection, human interconnection, human dignity and a human barrier, which peace and love are primary and important.

Ali continued to point out that their efforts, convening in Essequibo and across the country, goes beyond a physical connection.

“It is a psychological connection,” he says, adding that it serves as a reminder that Guyana is one consistent link and that the country is strongest when the people work together, and can’t be penetrated easily.

This togetherness Ali speaks of is one he says can stand against any challenge, alluding to Venezuela’s clearly expressed determination to claim Essequibo.

He says that countries and regions around the world support Guyana against the fact that Essequibo belongs to Guyanese people and not Venezuelans.

Ali chanted that Guyana is not on sinking sand but on a solid foundation, hinting at their resilience and willingness to fight for Essequibo.

“We stand on a strong foundation of truth, honour and dignity, and that truth, honour and dignity is that Essequibo is Guyana, Essequibo belongs to Guyana,” he again emphasized.

Guyana’s borders are secure and will remain so, Ali said, as he saluted those who are willing to make sure that Essequibo stays out of the hands of Venezuela by strengthening its borders, buoying up the spirits of the Guyanese people.

He called on the Venezuelan government to act on the interest of its people, the future of Venezuela as well as in the interest of “dignity” and respect the order of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

He further stated that Venezuela has a responsibility to every country on the globe and within the Caribbean region, later adding that Guyana and Venezuela will have to live together as neighbors as he neared the end of his address.

“No one shall [rise] over us,” he said.