PROFESSOR Hibbert “Oats” Duncan, a graduate in electrical engineering from the University of Technology (formerly CAST), was Thursday night inducted in the university’s alumni association hall of fame.

Duncan, research director at Itech GMQ, Inc — a private consulting company in Trenton, New Jersey — was an adjunct professor at William Patterson College and Morgan State University in the United States. He has held positions in research and engineering at a number of companies and holds patents for two products in the United States.

Three other graduates of UTech were also recognised for outstanding professional and personal accomplishments as well as contributions to “nation building and development” reflected in active involvement in civic organisations and volunteer work.

They are:

* Jacqueline Mighty, a graduate in business administration, and who is at present the general manager/financial controller of the Jamaica Observer. She is a trustee in the ATL Group Pension Fund and is active in civil, church and volunteer activities.

* Michael Peart, a graduate in electrical engineering, now Speaker of the House of Representatives. Peart entered representational politics in 1993 after a successful tenure at Alcan Jamaica Company. He has served as the minister of state in the Ministry of Finance.

* Clarence Clarke, a graduate in mechanical engineer, presently the president of the Jamaica Manufacturer’s Association. He is an entrepreneur with interests in several businesses. A Rotarian, Clarke is involved in a number of community outreach programmes.

Prime Minister P J Patterson, who gave the keynote address at the function held at the Hilton Kingston Hotel, praised the University of Technology for setting standards that are now respected worldwide since the institution was established 45 years ago.

“You have become the benchmark by which the quality of your institution is judged. Your success is the means by which it is ranked and rated internationally,” he said of UTech.

Meanwhile, Patterson told the awards ceremony that the ‘Projects for Tax Exemption’ programme administered under the Research and Development Tax Incentive Scheme has been under-utilised and called on the industrial and business sectors to take advantage of the opportunities created under the programme.

He said it would be to the advantage of graduates of UTech and persons in industry, if the programme was more widely known and utilised, as it provides for the removal of general consumption tax and customs duty on equipment and materials for approved research and development projects.

The prime minister said the combination of science and technology has proven to be the most important factor underlying increased productivity and the widening of the industrial scope. He stressed that this was critical, as the society would have to focus on creating its own jobs and not rely on others to create them.

“Our society has to stop looking for other people to create jobs for them. We have to provide training so our people can create jobs for themselves,” the prime minister said.

The banquet was part of celebrations associated with UTech’s 45th anniversary.