Above: Governor John de Jongh (Photo: OG)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

US Virgin Islands Governor John de Jongh recently chaired the inaugural meeting of the Virgin Islands Science and Technology Council.

The meeting, which took place at Government House on St Thomas, focused on preliminary issues that will advance its mission to advise the governor on promoting and developing science and technology programmes in the USVI.

“The Science and Technology Council will assist my administration in fostering new initiates in technical fields, will oversee development of a Science and Technology Plan for the territory, and will also facilitate our development of a high-tech workforce,” de Jongh said. “At our first meeting, we laid the groundwork for pursuing these tasks that are critical to the future success and prosperity of the Virgin Islands.”

The council was created by de Jongh through an executive order in November 2011, aiming for it to “act as a catalyst for leveraging resources in the USVI in the area of science, technology, engineering and innovation for economic development.”

De Jongh plans to amend his executive order to designate himself as the council’s chairman. Attendees at the first meeting included representatives from the Bureau of Information Technology, the University of the Virgin Islands and other agencies.

The council, by a unanimous vote, authorized the retention of a consultant to help draft a plan on science and technology for the territory.