On Tuesday March 11, 2014 the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) handed over computer equipment, valued over $4 million, to the Ministry Of Local Government and Community Development and the various Local Authorities, in an official handing over ceremony held at the Ministry. The equipment were procured under the Access to Services component of the Inner City Basic Services Project (ICBSP). This component of the ICBSP is where funding is allocated to support the procurement of basic equipment and the provision of technical assistance, to strengthen management and operations at the local level.
Minister Noel Arscott, who delivered the main address at the ceremony, expressed his appreciation and explained how the computer equipment, specifically the CISCO router will help to improve the development application process; ‘The CISCO routers will enable the different local area networks of the AMANDA LAs to communicate and share data and information securely. All the equipment being handed over today is expected to help strengthen productivity and efficiency in the development approval process. It will integrate with the AMANDA software leading to the development of a helpdesk throughout the Parish Councils, and therefore allowing for greater compliance.’
At the ceremony, Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) handed over ten (10) CISCO Routers, Seven (7) desktop Computers with Office Suite, one (1) HP Designjet T520 Colour Plotter and one (1) All in One HP Laserjet Pro 500 Printer. As a result of this investment by JSIF ten Local Authorities will be positively impacted.