SJC gets donation from government of India

The computer lab at Saint John’s College was enhanced today through a donation by the government of India on the occasion of the visit of its High Commissioner. Aside from the computers and accessories, the High Commissioner also announced that a senior police officer from India has been deployed to work along with the police force. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.

Duane Moody, Reporting

An assortment of technological equipment including computers, printers, cartridges and UPSs were donated today to Saint John’s College. Valued at one hundred and twenty thousand dollars, President of the institution, Jorge Espat, says that the donation will better the learning experience for students attending the college.

Jorge Espat

Jorge Espat, President, SJC

“This gift of fifty computers, four heavy duty printers, a box of cartridges and two high powered UPS valued and one hundred and twenty thousand dollars helps us to realize the goal of making St. Johns Belize’s finest educational institution. To learn, lead and create with knowledge awareness and skills so essential for information literacy and our digital world. This dimension of learning and teaching elevates SJC’s rigorous curriculum and offers students a better learning experience.”

The donation comes courtesy of ITECH, the Indian Technical and Corporation Program. And High Commissioner of India to Belize, Sujan Chinoy, says that the donation is just one way in which the relations between both countries will deepen.

Sujan Chinoy

Sujan Chinoy, High Commissioner of India to Belize

“Under the Indian technical and corporation program, which is well known by its acronym ITECH. Under the ITECH program, India extends assistance to friendly countries with whom we have good relations and in countries like Belize with which we want to deepen our engagement including the people to people level. The St. John’s College for one is located in Belize City and most of your young people are going to this college—I am aware of the fact that it is a prestigious college, but this is only a beginning. This does not limit us to interaction with other institutions in the future. But we have to make a beginning somewhere. And since Belize City does account for a large number of your intellectuals and C.E.O.s and political leaders, we made a beginning here. I hope to do more of this is the future.”

Minister of Science and Technology, Joy Grant, gave thanks to the government of India on behalf of the Government of Belize. She also shared some inspirational words with the students, staff and faculty that were present.

Joy Grant

Joy Grant, Minister of Science and Technology.

“Anybody does their best work before the age of thirty; before you have all these other things that take away from your ability to be creative. So I want to challenge you today because Belize can never achieve its potential if we don’t embrace technology. That will get our people out of poverty; that will create the jobs that we need to have. So as you go and utilize this gift today, I want you to think efficiently, what you can tell us to do or that you can do so that we become more competitive as we look to bring in investors into this country.”

Chinoy says that assistance to the country will continue with opportunities—also under the ITECH Program—for students and technicians to study and train in India.

Sujan Chinoy

“It ranges from outright aid or assistance of this order to for instance cricketing gear which we had gifted in 2012 for the people of Belize. On an earlier occasion, we had gifted medicines after natural disaster in 2007. And we’ve also gifted for instance three wheeler scooters in the past, sixteen of them known by their brand name. There are scholarships that we offer under the ITECH program to Belizean students and officials going to India.”

According to Chinoy, a senior police officer from India will come to Belize to work along with the commissioner of police for a year.

Sujan Chinoy

“We’ve just got a senior police officer from India on secondment and loan to the government of Belize. Some of you might have heard that we have Mister Ashuck Jan who is also going to be here for a year on loan to the commissioner of police in Belize. So he will work in consultation with his superiors here.”

Duane Moody for News Five.