NTRC’s MyApp for Bequia and Kingstown

THE NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS REGULATORY COMMISSION (NTRC) will hosting its eighth annual summer coding and application development initiative known as the MyApp summer program in two locations.

The programme will run for three (3) weeks each during the summer vacation and are scheduled for the period July 17 — August 4, 2023, at the Bequia Community High School, and July 31 -August 18, 2023, at the St. Vincent Grammar School, from 9:00am to 3:00pm daily.

Participants, between the ages of 13-18 years, will be taught how to code using a pocket-sized computer known as the micro:bit. This will help participants gain insightful knowledge in coding as the demand for software developers increases.

Application forms are available at the office of the NTRC and via the website www.ntrc.vc. Deadline for applications is Friday June 30, 2023. A limited number of applications will be accepted and the registration cost for the programme is $50 per student. (Source: NTRC) made by Minister of Finance, Camillo Gonsalves on Tuesday, December 13, 2022 as he presented the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the 2023 fiscal year.

The opposition NDP has chided the government in the past, for the lack of employment opportunities for Vincentians, particularly young people.

Parliament moves out

Interestingly, the building was constructed a stone’s throw away from what was known as the ‘Market Square’, originally an open area where citizens gathered daily to conduct trade as well as to share information on world events and their views on developments in the ‘colony’.

It was from that location on October 21, 1935 that the people moved into the precincts of the parliament building to make their feelings known on certain ‘bills’ (tax increases) that were down for debate in the Legislative Council (Parliament) on that day. That public expression of descent resulted in what became known as the 1935 Riots and placed the name George Augustus McIntosh indelibly in the pages of the history of this country.

Parliamentarians and the business of the highest lawmaking body in the land, will now transition to a temporary location in Calliaqua until such time as a new Parliament is constructed in Beachmont/Richmond Hill, just outside the main commercial area of capital Kingstown.

Special final sitting

A special June 1st 2023 sitting of Parliament gathered past and current elected and nominated members of Parliament, past and present Speakers of the House and specially invited guests.

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves addressed the Sitting and prefaced his expectations with a history of the building, referencing the 15th May 1798 resolution that made provision for the construction of a building to house the Courthouse on the ground floor and “the Legislative Council above”.

He shared, “…And I want to say, for members who are here on the opposite side, that at the end of the day, we are here as representatives of the people. And whatever we may say about each other that we give recognition that we see all of us in our own way to see how we can represent the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”

Leader of the Opposition Dr. Godwin Friday said, inter alia, that the history of the building abounds with political parties and figures who rose, played their part and moved on.

“The humbling part of that is that for all of us, it comes to an end – whether it’s 22 years, five years or three years,” said Dr. Friday.

“I actually like this building. I like this occasion and Kingstown. I like it’s across the street, where people can come and protest and exercise their democratic rights. That it’s close to them,” he added.

In her address to the gathering, current Speaker of the House Rochelle Forde said, as the Parliament transitions to its new location, “We will take with us some physical reminders from this chamber into the new temporary Parliament building, and in that small yet symbolic way, we will transplant historical significance of the old into the new.”

Other currents members of the Parliament also gave brief remarks.

Going forward

The next sitting of Parliament will take place at the new but temporary location in Calliaqua. That temporary facility was constructed at a cost exceeding EC$4 million.

On completion of the new Parliament building and Hall of Justice at Richmond/Beachmont, the temporary facility will be converted into a students’ hostel.

Construction of the new Parliament and Hall of Justice is expected to commence later this year. That project is estimated to cost some EC$50 million and Parliament has already authorized Government to borrow this money from the Republic of China on Taiwan.