The Minister of Finance and the Economy, Honourable Senator Larry Howai presented the 2014 Budget Statement in the Trinidad and Tobago Parliament on September 9 2013.

The 2014 Budget Statement and related documents can be downloaded at http://www.finance.gov.tt/mediaroom.php?mid=232

Over several blog posts, I’ll provide the ICT related aspects of the various 2014 budget documents. This post will focus on the ICT related aspects of the “Social Sector Investment Programme 2014“

ICT related aspects of the “Social Sector Investment Programme 2014”

Pages 63-64, under “Education”

C. Integrating ICTs in Education – Laptop Initiative

“In fiscal year 2012/2013, 17,362 laptops were distributed to Form 1 students in 152 secondary schools, under the eCAL-Laptop Initiative. All laptops were imaged with a total of 29 software packages. A total of 476 laptops were also granted to primary school principals. Overall, from fiscal 2010 – 2013, 54,329 laptops have been distributed under this programme.

Additional achievements in ICTs include:

• Conducted training for 7,734 teachers in a series of courses aimed at equipping staff with the necessary skills to infuse ICTs into their Teaching and Learning Strategies/
  
  Activities;
• Collaborated with Microsoft Inc. to host three eCAL ICT in Education Innovative Award competitions in recognition of the efforts of teachers in infusing ICT into the curricula of both primary and secondary schools;
• 35 Curriculum Officers, utilised the Distance Education modality to support the integration of ICTs in curriculum delivery;
• Developed ICT integrated instructional packages for Forms 1-3 for seven subject
  
  areas;
• Continued to successfully operate 26 National Open School of Trinidad and Tobago
  
  (NOSTT) Centres, with enrolments totaling approximately 5,000 persons;
• Completed the registration of over 13,000 Form 1 students as part of the eCAL
  
  programme, by the National Library and Information System (NALIS). This will ensure that students have access to e-resources on NALIS’ website
• Prepared a Draft ICT in Education Policy;
• Completed the procurement of Audio Visual equipment including 55” Smart Televisions, Interactive multi-media projectors and Radios for all primary schools. Distribution is due to start on September 25, 2013
• Signed MoU with Intel Corporation for the engagement of their services to assist with the development of:
  • A Comprehensive ICT in education plan;
  • An implementation roadmap to achieve the strategic objectives for ICT in education;
  • A comprehensive teachers’ training programme; and
  • An ICT in education evaluation model;
• Completed the procurement of IT online (an eLearning resource for the teaching
  
  and learning of Information Technology in preparation for the CSEC examination).
  
  Deployment will commence in September 2013 and will be provided to all 152 Secondary schools;
• Initiated the development and implementation of eduCATE (edu Children,
  
  Administrators and Teachers in Excellence Portal). Design and development work has been completed. Implementation is 80% completed. Identification of curricula for online implementation has been initiated;
• Initiated the procurement and tendering process for the Schools’ Connectivity
  
  Program. This program comprises:
  • Broadband access for all schools;
  • Pervasive WiFi access at every school location throughout Trinidad and Tobago;
  • IP Security Surveillance System for all schools with centralised monitoring;
  • Education Content Delivery Management System;
• Initiated the implementation of a Technology Refurbishment Centre.

 

Page 64-65, under “tertiary education”

“Key achievements of the MTEST [Ministry of Tertiary Education and Skills Training] include:

• Launched, in July 2012, the Trinidad and Tobago Research and Education Network
  
  (TTRENT), and signed a Memorandum of Understanding with UWI, UTT and COSTAATT to establish guidelines for the TTRENT. This initiative will connect all
  
  post-secondary, tertiary level, research institutions and agencies of TEST and  various other stakeholders, locally and regionally. The National Research and
  
  Education Network (NREN) will also allow students and researchers to engage with
  
  international and regional e-learning content. It is also expected that this initiative
  
  will provide a national platform that will allow Trinidad and Tobago to link with regional and global networks in order to drive research and development in the service of economic activity and transformation;
• Launched, in February 2013, the Caribbean Research and Education Network (C@
  
  ribNET), which offers local students, researchers, educators, professional
  
  and administrative staff of Tertiary Level Institutions (TLIs) access to research and
  
  education centres throughout the region in a variety of areas including science and
  
  technology, health, security and culture.  C@ribNET’s broadband, high-speed fibreoptic infrastructure connects over 26 million persons in at least 21 countries in the region;
• Signed an MOU with Microsoft Trinidad and Tobago for the establishment of a local
  
  arm of Microsoft’s youth in education and entrepreneurship project, YouthSpark. Under the agreement, Microsoft will provide access to software solutions at State-operated academic institutions, as well as training for educators and students in the use of solutions. Microsoft will also provide support for other development programmes, such as DreamSpark, BizSpark and Imagine Cup, which will help young students and potential business creators gain access to technology to start a business;

Page 152, under Minstry of Gender, Youth and Child Development

“The following projects will be continued or implemented in fiscal year 2014.

1. RESPECT ME, RESPECT YOU

The Respect Me, Respect You initiative is a programme aimed at addressing various types
of bullying within the school, home, workplace and communities. Bullying via thorough the use of communication technology is also approved under this initiative. In the long term, the initiative projects the creation of a caring environment and reducing, if not preventing, bullying in its various forms is envisaged. The initiative includes a three pronged approach, which will continue into fiscal 2013-2014 and would involve a nationwide sensitivity and awareness campaign utilising multi-media approaches and
community outreach workshops.

Page 154, under “Ministry of National Diversity and Social Integration”

“The following key initiatives will be undertaken in fiscal 2014:

…7. National Archives

• Institutional Strengthening of the National Archives including an upgrade of the information technology hardware and software and training of staff;”

 

The Minister of Finance and the Economy, Honourable Senator Larry Howai presented the 2014 Budget Statement in the Trinidad and Tobago Parliament on September 9 2013.

The 2014 Budget Statement and related documents can be downloaded at http://www.finance.gov.tt/mediaroom.php?mid=232

Over several blog posts, I’ll provide the ICT related aspects of the various 2014 budget documents. This post will focus on the ICT related aspects of the 2014 Budget Statement

The ICT related aspects of the 2014 Budget Statement :

Pages 10-11, under “Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Labour”

“Mr. Speaker, while access to the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange allow these small and medium-sized businesses  to connect with investors who wished to participate in the equity of such companies, we are also ensuring that small and micro-businesses are able to participate in the national economy in a consistent and sustainable manner. In the coming year, the Ministry of Labour and Small and Micro Enterprise Development will review the Fair Share programme and will hold its first Fair Share Expo to increase the visibility of certified SMEs. The Ministry will also implement a number of initiatives, including a web portal, to add further impetus to this programme.”

Page 17, under Information and Communication Technology

“Mr. Speaker, we have identified the year 2018 to transition Trinidad and Tobago to the top 30 countries out of 148 in the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) prepared by the World Economic Forum. The Global Competitiveness Index is the internationally well-established mechanism to assess the competitiveness of the countries in the basket.

We are marketing this objective to signal to the world our readiness as a technologically sound and viable environment for attracting foreign direct investment. We are collaborating with the World Bank Group to fashion supply-side and demand-side initiatives to build an e-ready society, to increase the availability and affordability of technologies, to expand the accessibility of telecommunications and broadband networks and to improve Government efficiency in its delivery service.”

Page 21, under “Education and Human-Capital Development”

“Mr. Speaker, we are moving rapidly to improve our education system:

• we are creating a technologically-based education system. Laptops have been provided to 70,000 students, 4,000 teachers and over 650 principals, vice-principals and supervisors. Wi-Fi connectivity is being installed and, to utilize the technology, the competency and quality of teachers are being improved;”

Page 23, under “Health”

” Mr. Speaker, in order to make the CDAP [Chronic Disease Assistance Programme] system more efficient and to eliminate abuse, we will commence implementation of a health card system in the new fiscal year. The health card will be electronic and will serve as a means to access health care services. The health card system will ensure that we have a register of all patients accessing the health services; this will enhance our ability to monitor and improve health services being delivered to our citizens. The information captured and managed by this system will provide the basis for the development and implementation of a national health insurance system.”

Page 26, under “Defence, Security and Safety”

• “building capacity within law enforcement. The Government will continue to increase staff levels and training to boost detection rates. We will recruit an additional 1,000 regular police officers; we will also recruit 5,000 Special Reserve Police with 1,500 expected to be trained by the end of 2013; we are training officers in scientific methods for solving crime, in evidence-based policing and Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) techniques. Coupled with the computerising of police charge rooms and the deployment of GPS technology in police vehicles, the approach to law enforcement will be accurate, reliable and efficient;…”

“…Mr. Speaker, the Government has continued to roll out its own CCTV network to bolster existing capacity. Two hundred and forty-five CCTV cameras have been installed at Beetham, Sea Lots, Dundonald Street, Aranguez, El Socorro, Morvant, San Juan and Santa Cruz. Additionally, 118 cameras have been installed at various locations in Tobago. As at
August 2013, 873 CCTV cameras have been installed in East Port-of-Spain and in Tobago. Installation is scheduled to continue in the Central, Southern and Western Divisions.”

“…Mr. Speaker, similarly, the Government will implement a number of medium-term security measures. These policies will provide improved access to social services and deepen law enforcement/community relations. Some of the measures entail:

• full implementation of the National Security Operations Centre (NSOC) which will be the communications platform of all law enforcement agencies; 
• enhanced E999 and rapid response service to provide real-time responses to all emergency calls with linkages to all police vehicles outfitted with GPS tracking technology;”

 

 

The Google Chrome Blog announced yesterday Chrome Apps that can work when offline.

“..we’re unveiling a new kind of Chrome App, which brings together the speed, security and flexibility of the modern web with the powerful functionality previously only available with software installed on your devices. (Think apps designed for your desktop or laptop, just like the ones for your phone and tablet.) These apps are more powerful than before, and can help you get work done, play games in full-screen and create cool content all from the web. If you’re using Windows or a Chromebook, you can check them out in the “For your desktop” collection in the Chrome Web Store (Mac & Linux coming soon). “

Visit the Chrome Web Store.

September 5th also marked the 5 year anniversary of the release of the first Chrome web browser

 

Via Techcrunch :

Adobe today announced its Photography Program, which for $9.99 per month offers photographers who own a previous copy of Photoshop (starting with CS3) access to a “lite” version of Creative Cloud with Photoshop CC and Lightroom 5, as well as a Behance membership with access to Adobe ProSite and 20GB of online storage.

This offer is valid until December 31, 2013, but it’s worth noting that this is not an introductory price. Users who subscribe now will continue to pay $9.99 even after the offer expires.

 

http://arstechnica.com/apple/2013/09/apple-confirms-september-10th-event-prepare-for-new-iphones-ios-7-and-more/

Flightradar24.com is a real time flight tracking service that provides you with information about aircraft flying around the world and their location on a map. Clicking on a plane will bring up details about the flight, including the type of aircraft, altitude, speed and other information. You can even switch to a rendered “cockpit view” (using a Google Earth plugin) . Flightradar24.com also has apps for iOS, Android and Windows Phone.

See Flightradar24.com view of the Caribbean.

Clicking on an airport would bring up the list of arrivals and departures. Below is a screenshot showing the listing for Piarco Airport, Trinidad and Tobago.

(H/T : The Loop)

(Update :  Steve Ballmer’s email to Microsoft employees on Nokia Devices & Services acquisition includes a link to a presentation about Microsoft’s strategic rationale for the deal announced with Nokia.

From the Microsoft press release:

Microsoft Corporation and Nokia Corporation today announced that the Boards of Directors for both companies have decided to enter into a transaction whereby Microsoft will purchase substantially all of Nokia’s Devices & Services business, license Nokia’s patents, and license and use Nokia’s mapping services.

Under the terms of the agreement, Microsoft will pay EUR 3.79 billion to purchase substantially all of Nokia’s Devices & Services business, and EUR 1.65 billion to license Nokia’s patents, for a total transaction price of EUR 5.44 billion in cash. Microsoft will draw upon its overseas cash resources to fund the transaction. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2014, subject to approval by Nokia’s shareholders, regulatory approvals and other closing conditions.

 

There is more on Microsoft’s blog titled “The Next Chapter: An open letter from Steve Ballmer and Stephen Elop“

The price cuts for the Microsoft Surface Pro, Surface RT and TouchCover introduced in early August 2013 were set to end this month. However, Microsoft has announced these price cuts are permanent.

The price cuts :

• $100 USD off Surface Pro (including the 256GB model) – Surface Pro will now start at $799 USD
• $40 USD off Touch Covers – Touch Covers will now start at $79 USD, Limited Edition Touch Covers will now start at $89 USD
• $50 USD off Surface RT bundles – Surface RT bundles will now start at $399 USD

Source : ZDnet

 

Facebook has posted proposed updates to their “Data Use Policy” and their “Statement of Rights and Responsibilities” on their Facebook’s Site Governance Page.  As Facebook notes : “These two documents tell you about how we collect and use data, and the rules that apply when you choose to use Facebook.”

The proposed changes are scheduled to take effect on September 5 2013.

Read the specific note on Facebook’s Site Governance Page on the proposed changes to Facebook’s Governing Documents scheduled to take effect September 5 2013.

According to an article on GigaOm, Facebook’s proposed changes to its Data Use and Privacy policies give the platform more control and knowledge of a user’s image and likeness.