Richard Shaw (left), president and chief executive officer of EduCenters Information Services Limited, presents Governor-General Sir Howard Cooke (second right) with an IBM lap top at King's House. Sharing in the occasion are minister of commerce, science and technology, Phillip Paulwell (right) and Hugh Campbell, CEO of Emoquad Internet Services. (Photo: JIS)

THE governor-general, Sir Howard Cooke, can now log on to the Internet from his own lap top computer, presented to him Monday.

The state-of-the-art IBM lap top, valued at US$1,700, is equipped with 250 megabytes of random access memory (RAM), 40 gigabytes of disk space and a DVD/CD drive.

It was a gift from EduCenters Information Services, a local outfit that specialises in computer training, website development and consultant service.

At the same time, Sir Howard has been provided with life-long Internet access by Emoquad Internet Service.

"I am particularly grateful for this, but even more grateful for the fact that all of Jamaica will be the beneficiaries of your wisdom, your knowledge and your gifts," the governor-general told technology minister, Phillip Paulwell, after the presentation at King's House.

"I would like to express my thanks to you and the government for what you are doing for the country. We have improved in science and we are improving in technology, and I am so happy to know that you are going to invade every school," he told the technology minister.

Paulwell said that the gift was significant as his ministry was in the process of launching an education programme to encourage more Jamaicans to save to acquire a computer.

He said that owning a computer could open doors of opportunities, pointing out that one such prospect was conducting business more efficiently through the click of a mouse.

"As the government seeks to implement its e-government project, many persons will be able to stay in their office and do all their businesses. You will be able to process your driver's licence, pay your income tax without having to join a line," said Paulwell.

He said, too, that the ministry would also be starting a public education programme in the post offices to popularise the use of the technology. A number of computers have already been deployed to the post offices, he said.

The ministry, he said, would also be launching an e-learning project in schools and will be continuing with its library programme.

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