A number of distinguished engineers and engineering students are to be honoured at the Jamaica Institution of Engineers (JIE) annual awards dinner and gala scheduled for Saturday at Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.

The awards to be presented at the event — themed ‘Engineering for Human and Social Development’ — include one for ‘Excellence in Engineering’, ‘Engineering Project of the Year’, and ‘The President’s Cup’ to the Council member who has contributed the most to the JIE over the past year. An award for the ‘Best Division Committee’ will be presented to the most outstanding division or committee.

The most outstanding Jamaican engineering student at the Faculty of Engineering, University of the West Indies, St Augustine campus in Trinidad; most outstanding students in the University of Technology’s Faculty of Engineering and Computing, and the Faculty of Built Environment, respectively A will also be recognised.

Noting that “Jamaica is currently navigating a very harsh economic landscape”, newly installed president of the JIE, Andre White, said that makes it even more important for engineers to “operate and innovate to create a better society”.

Hence, he said, it is critical for the JIE “to give recognition to members who have given sterling and excellent service to the engineering profession”.

Guest speaker for the dinner will be Ralston Hyman, economist, financial journalist and member of the Economic Programme Oversight Committee (EPOC).