The Prime Minister of Grenada, Dr the Rt. Honourable Keith Mitchell, in his address, pointed to the demonstration using C@ribNET as an example of what could be achieved with the establishment of the CARICOM Single ICT Space, which is one of the goals outlined in the Community's Regional Digital Development Strategy. The Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies, Professor E. Nigel Harris, told the meeting that the University was partnering with CKLNA to pilot projects leading to the establishment of a Single Virtual University Space.

Mr. Eriko Porto, Technical Manager, CKLN:  "It is very exciting to be building a great technical team....We are working together to efficiently manage this huge IT infrastructure, which is essential to Caribbean development."

The the CKLN  is forming a substantial network engineering group (NEG). This is in order to keep pace with the increasing demands being made of the Caribbean R&E network, C@ribNET.  At CKLN, Mr. Eriko Porto is supported by Mr. Juan Bailey and more recently, Mr. Reiner Campillo. The network operating centre (or NOC) services are provided by the Mexican R&E network, CUDI, who have also recently added to their staff. Thus,

Mr. Porto, CKLN's Technical Manager, has been working  with CKLN since April 2010 and was head of the Network Engineering & Operations of C@ribNET. He continues to coordinate the implementation and development of the network and associated services. Before his engagement with CKLN, he worked for the Brazilian R&E network - RNP - as Network Engineering Manager, and during this period drove the design and implementation of the Latin American R&E Network - RedCLARA. He holds a Bachelors in  Electronic Engineering, Master of Technology degree in Computer Networks, Master of Technology degree in Internet Technology and Network Management, and M.Sc. degree in Telecommunications Engineering.  

Working with Eriko are Mr. Juan Bailey and most recently Mr. Reiner Campillo, CKLN Network Engineering Analysts. Both have experience in network engineering and will support the work of the CKLN's NEG as well as working with local engineers of the emerging national research and education networks, NRENs, in the Caribbean. 

Speaking about the expansion of the NEG, Mr. Eriko Porto said, "it is very exciting to be building a great technical team, and establish an environment with highly motivated and highly skilled persons, whose work aligns with the goals and values of the organisation. We are working together to efficiently manage this huge IT infrastructure, which is essential to Caribbean development."

Caribbean Colleges Participate in Networking  Workshop on Performing Arts

For the first time, the primarily American and European participants at the 10^th Networking Workshop on the Performing Arts in Miami, Florida, hosted by the New World Symphony and sponsored by Internet2 and TERENA. The Caribbean particpants were Simone Harris from the Edna Manley College of the Visual & Performing Arts in Jamaica, and Joy Knight-Lynch from Erdiston Teacher's Training College in Barbados.   

According to Ms. Haris, who lectures at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts in Kingston, Jamaica, "The workshop was very enriching and it was good to share ideas and hear from persons working specifically in the arts realm who are making use of technology (not just in the creation of the art) but also to build administrative partnerships."

She was grateful for the support from her college and hopes that they will be able to introduce and utilize software such as LOLA or ULTRAGRID in the near future so that their students and faculty can work with artists and arts practitioners across geographic boundaries.