NCST Assesses Proposals for Funding
By: September 5, 2017 ,The Key Point:
The Facts
- Dr. Wheatley said that the applications are being assessed based on merit of what it can do to improve the lives of Jamaicans, including creating employment opportunities or contributing to national development.
The Full Story
The National Commission on Science and Technology (NCST) is now in the process of assessing proposals and applications for the Science and Technology Research and Development Fund.
Speaking at a JIS ‘Think Tank’ recently, Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Dr. the Hon. Andrew Wheatley, said the Commission has received several promising applications, for which they have hopes of seeing a number of products coming to market.
The Minister further added that the hope is to also see these businesses providing well-needed employment to Jamaicans.
Dr. Wheatley said that the applications are being assessed based on merit of what it can do to improve the lives of Jamaicans, including creating employment opportunities or contributing to national development.
The $30-million research and development fund will allow Jamaicans with their products, researchers employed to a higher educational institution or to a public or private non-profit research organisation or unit to get financial assistance.
“The Fund was created as part of a [structured] approach to ensure that Jamaica develops the sciences through research and development,” the Minister said.
“We as a Government need to invest in research and development, and would also like to see the private sector do the same,” he added, explaining that as a society “we rely too heavily on imported products instead of producing for our own consumption”.
Dr. Wheatley said that Jamaicans have the inherent capacity to be innovative and creative, so the Government is investing in the people.
Calls for proposals were made by the Ministry in April 2017.