Voices Magazine-Issue

VOICES Bi-Monthly Magazine of the University of Technology, Jamaica | February 2018 22 UTech Ja. and UWI, Mona Receive $12M Computer Network Equipment from Palisadoes Foundation Professor Stephen Vasciannie, CD, (4th left), President, University of Technology, Jamaica and Mr. Peter Harrison (3rd left), President, The Palisadoes Foundation shake hands following the official handing over of network equipment by The Palisadoes Foundation to UTech, Jamaica and the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona. Participating in the presentation (from left) are Dr. Sean Thorpe, Head, School of Computing and Information Technology, UTech, Ja., Prof. Nizla Aples, Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Computing, UTech, Ja., Dr. Gunjan Mansingh, Head, Department of Computing, UWI, Mona and Mr. Sheldon Powe, President, Jamaica Computer Society. T he University of Technology, Jamaica and the University of the West Indies (Mona) Campus received January 19, 2017, a donation of computer network equipment valued at over $12M from the USA based Palisadoes Foundation (LLC). The Palisadoes Foundation is a registered company in the state of California, USA, established by ICT professionals in the Jamaica Diaspora’s Technology Taskforce to promote the use and production of ICT services in Jamaica. The network equipment was formally handed over by Palisadoes Foundation President, Mr. Peter Harrison to UTech, Jamaica President, Professor Stephen Vasciannie, CD and to Dr. Gunjan Mansingh, Head, Department of Computing, Faculty of Science and Technology, UWI (Mona) campus at a special ceremony held at the UTech, Jamaica Papine Campus. According to Harrison, a Jamaican who is Chief Technical Officer and Co- Founder of leading Silicon Valley company, Colovore, “this donation of equipment will facilitate Jamaican universities in creating an environment that encourages students and faculty to research, create and use Open Source software.” Prof. Stephen Vasciannie in welcoming the valuable donation and the partnership forged among UTech, UWI and the Palisadoes Foundation said that “it will support IT operations in all 34 laboratories across the UTech, Ja. Papine campus.” Dr. Gunjan Mansingh in her remarks asserted that Jamaican IT students are among the best in the world despite being less resourced than larger economies. Dr. Sean Thorpe, Head, School of Computing and Information Technology, UTech, Jamaica who was instrumental in spearheading the acquisition of the IT equipment for both universities, said that it will support the continuous development of Open Source software projects, among other things. The equipment donation was facilitated through the Jamaica Computer Society (JCS) which has historically collaborated with the Palisadoes Foundation. President of the JCS, Mr. Sheldon Powe said “Jamaica is a lot better for the equipment donation,” and thanked the Foundation for giving back to Jamaica.