The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

Dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

TWENTY participants completed the first Fulbright App Development Training programme in Grand Bahama, creating more human technology capacity and young entrepreneurs on the island.

Senator Kwasi Thompson, State Minister for Grand Bahama, indicated “deliberate steps” are being taken to make Grand Bahama the “technology hub” of the country.

He revealed some participants are already close to developing potential apps that could be sold on the market. It was also revealed that some persons would be eligible to receive funding from the Tech Grant Initiative to start businesses.

“There are some persons who are already to a point where they can develop their own apps that can actually be put on the market and sold, and be used in different businesses or their own business, and that is extremely important,” he said.

His remarks came during the closing ceremony of the programme via Zoom on Friday. He commended all the participants on completing the course, despite the “tremendous challenges” they encountered while training during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The programme was launched in early July by the Office of the Prime Minister in Grand Bahama, in partnership with the US Embassy, and the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI). The six-week course was free to participants – 13 enrolled in the beginner’s course and seven in the advanced course. Fulbright scholar Aaron Saunders, an American, was the facilitator.

Mr Thompson told participants: “You made history today. We are proud of you, and I believe we can see some future Facebook and WhatsApp developers or Amazon developers created from this programme. Tremendous challenges of COVID-19 have unfortunately made things extremely difficult for everyone, and you have gone through the programme successfully.”

He said the government is committed to providing “upskilling initiatives” for Bahamians to take advantage of opportunities, to create employment and their own businesses.

“That is the key component to rebuild our economy,” he said. “All the steps we are taking through Fullbright, BTVI’s summer programme that we just completed, BTVI and UB (University of the Bahamas) expanding their ICT programmes, these are steps we are taking deliberately and intentionally... to provide more opportunities for Bahamians. And this is at the heart of the GB Technology Hub Initiative,” he explained.

The minister noted the concept for the app development programme was taken from the previously launched apiary programme which provided skills training, business development skills and assistance in funding to help people start their own businesses.

Mr Thompson commended Mr Saunders, who was recently appointed a Fellow at BTVI, to provide continued training and skills in app development at the institution.

“We discussed a concept of bringing together these young people and those trained and creating a company similar to the apiary concept and, through his (Mr Saunders) connections in the US, to provide opportunities for these young people who have now been trained and that really is the purpose and success behind the GB technology hub initiative,” he added.

“It is not just about bringing tech companies to GB but bringing technical skills and building human capacity in GB so we can export these skills, and so we have Bahamians who can work any place in the world and at any company in the world right from The Bahamas. That is the potential and success I see that this programme will bring,” Mr Thompson said.

He also said the government is providing some funds through the Tech Grant Initiative for those persons who have finished and qualified for the tech grant so they can use their training to develop their own businesses.

Mr Thompson acknowledged and thanked Raquel Hart in the OPM who was responsible for putting the programme together. He also thanked BTVI for their consistent partnership with the OPM, and the US Embassy which facilitated the programme through the Fulbright Scholars Programme.

Daniel Durazo, public affairs officer at US Embassy in Nassau, said the Fulbright Programme is one of the most extraordinary exchange programmes in the US State Department.

“I am happy we were able to bring this programme to Grand Bahama,” he said. “I think we are striving more and more to bring these programmes outside of New Providence and the capital, to other parts of the Bahamas that have just as much talent, promise, and potential as the capital does,” he said.

Dr Robert Robertson, BTVI president, announced that BTVI has appointed Mr Saunders the first fellow of the Centre for Online and Distance Learning Education at BTVI.

Mr Saunders looks forward to continuing to work with the OPM. “We came in to teach persons, to create companies and entrepreneurship, and to increase technical capital here on the island.”

He stated that the world has gotten smaller due to the Internet.

“We can teach others and support each other, and entrepreneurs should also recognise that they can leverage their talents to get opportunities here on the island and beyond,” he said.