ST CATHERINE, Jamaica – Member of Parliament for St Catherine East Central, Alando Terrelonge, wants the community of Portmore to be developed as a technological hub that would be home to a central youth innovation centre focusing on high-tech skills, training and innovation, which he said is crucial in developing Jamaica’s global competitiveness as a modern economy.

Terrelonge said that with 30,000 young people living in Portmore, by partnering with the HEART/NSTA Trust, the ministries of Education and Youth and Science, Energy and Technology, the hub would be “transformational in youth empowerment and navigating our country through the Fourth Industrial Revolution”.

Terrelonge, who is also Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, made the suggestion during his recent contribution to the 2022/23 State of the Constituency Debate in the House of Representatives.

“As Portmore is set to become the 15th parish, its future must be rooted in technology, creativity, solar power, and enterprise, which will see more jobs being created for thousands more youth,” Terrelonge said.

“The importance of technology and its ability to not just empower our youth, but to develop our nation, cannot be overstated,” he added.

He told the House that as Member of Parliament, he has used his youth empowerment sessions to impress upon young adults in his constituency, the importance of capitalising on computer and digital skills training programmes offered by HEART/NSTA Trust and other institutions to make themselves more marketable and adaptable for the jobs of the future.

“The main objective of this centre would be the making, repairing and installation of solar panels throughout the ‘Sunshine City’ while representations can be made to the government to provide concessions to citizens who use solar energy,” Terrelonge explained.

He argued that with the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine in Eastern Europe, and rising oil and gas prices around the globe, it is advisable that more Jamaicans resort to solar energy to save on expenses.