Kingstown, April 4, 2017: The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has made significant progress in boosting the development of the Information Communication and Technology (ICT) sector. To this end, grants totalling more than XCD 2.5 million have been distributed to twenty-one (21) local businesses within the past year.

The funds were awarded through the Business Incubation and Training Grants programme that is a component of the Caribbean Regional Infrastructure Programme (CARCIP) SVG project that was launched in 2014. CARCIP SVG forms part of Government’s initiative to increase the range of local business enterprises utilising modern technology, support business expansion and create jobs. 

Under the Business Incubation Grants programme, sixteen (16) businesses, including existing and start-up enterprises have each received funding of up to XCD 150,000. A total of over XCD 1.4 million has been disbursed. The businesses received funding for equipment, software and marketing support. The recipients are also receiving assistance in the development of skills as incubatees of the National Centre of Technological Innovation (NCTI) Business Incubator Programme. Six (6) incubatees located across St. Vincent are being supported virtually while ten (10) are residential incubatees stationed at the NCTI’s Business Incubator at the Diamond Industrial Estate.

Business Incubation grant recipients are:

Under CARCIP SVG’s Training Grants programme, six (6) businesses are benefiting from funding of up XCD 150,000. This programme has committed XCD 586,000 in grants for Vincentian small businesses and non-government institutions. The training is improving the skills set of their employees/members in ICT or ICT-related areas. Businesses also received equipment and software to support the training activities.

Training Grant recipients are:

Meanwhile, over three hundred and ten (310) Vincentians have received ICT training at the NCTI over the past year.  The Government distributed approximately XCD 300,000 thousand in bursaries under the CARCIP Training Grants programme to cover eighty percent (80%) of the cost for courses.

Courses included webpage design, mobile app design and development, graphic design, Cisco Certified Associate, Android development, Comptia A+, Security + and Network +.

Interested persons can contact the NCTI at 456-2971or visit www.svgncti.org for more information.

CARCIP SVG is a regional initiative that involves St. Lucia, Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The project is financed through a loan by the World Bank.  The Business Incubation and Training Grants Programme is estimated to cost XCD 4.185 million. CARCIP SVG is being implemented by the Ministry of Economic Planning, Sustainable Development, Industry, Information and Labour.

See more pictures of Incubatees here http://carcip.gov.vc/carcip/index.php/gallery/category/9-incubatees.

Kingstown, April 15, 2016: The Government of Saint Vincent and The Grenadines (GoSVG) is inviting local businesses to apply for training grants under the Caribbean Regional Communications Infrastructure Program (CARCIP) SVG project.

On Friday April 15^th, 2016, the Ministry of Economic Planning, Sustainable Development, Industry, Information and Labour (Ministry of Economic Planning) launched its second Call for Proposals under the Training Grants Programme of the CARCIP SVG ICT-Led Innovation component.  Through this programme, local businesses and Non-Government Institutions seeking to enhance the skill set of their employees in the Information Communication Technology (ICT)  field would have access to grant funding of up to EC $100,000 (US $37,200).

To be eligible, a business must be legally registered with the relevant authorities in SVG; be legally and financially autonomous; operate under Commercial law and not be dependent on the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. A business may partner with another business for purposes of the project and in which case the lead organization must be legally established in SVG. It must also provide counterpart funding of 35% of the cost of the project (35% can be in-kind, an equivalent monetary amount or a combination of both) and accept the financial requirements of the program.  The proposed training must be ICT related and offered to a minimum of 15 persons.

For more information, interested applicants can contact the Telecommunications Office located on the 4^th Floor of the CLICO Building in Kingstown at telephone number 456-1223 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The Call for proposals will close on May 18^th, 2016.

Meantime, the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (GoSVG) is funding training for individuals seeking to develop their skills in ICT related areas. This initiative, is being implemented by the Ministry of Economic Planning, through CARCIP SVG in collaboration with the SVG National Centre of Technological Innovation (SVGNCTI).

Under this training programme, qualified applicants would receive a grant of up to 80% of the total cost of the course. The areas of training are:

1. Computer Fundamentals
2. Introduction to System Design
3. Mobile Application Design and Development
4. Computer Application for the Office
5. Database Design
6. Introduction to Programming
7. Object Oriented Programming Basics
8. Web Page Design
9. CompTIA Network+
10. CompTIA Security+

Interested applicants can contact the SVGNCTI office, located on Sharpe Street Kingstown (Upstairs the physical planning unit) between the hours of 8:00AM and 4:00PM or call 456-2971. Information can also be obtained from SVGNCTI website, http://www.svgncti.org/carcip/. 

CARCIP SVG is a regional initiative that involves St. Lucia, Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines and financed through a loan by the World Bank.  This programme is estimated to cost EC$1.4 million (US$0.525 million) and to date over EC $ 223,000 (US$83,000) in grants have been awarded to local entrepreneurs.

Kingstown, May 11th, 2016- St. Vincent and the Grenadines will join the rest of the world to commemorate World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) celebrated annually on May 17th. This special day marks the anniversary of the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention in 1865 which led to the creation of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

The purpose of the WTISD is “to help raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of the Internet and other Information Communication Technologies (ICT) can bring to societies and economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide.” In accordance with Resolution 68 (Rev. Guadalajara, 2010), the theme for this year’s WTISD is “ICT entrepreneurship for social impact”.

This year, this country joins with the ITU member countries to focus attention on ICT entrepreneurs and start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that have a particularly relevant role in ensuring economic growth in a sustainable and inclusive manner.

To commemorate this day, the Information Technology Services Division within the Ministry of Economic Planning, Sustainable Development, Industry, Information and Labour will be hosting an exhibition at the Heritage Square on Tuesday, 17th May, 2016 which will run from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. This event will commence with an opening ceremoney at 10am and will feature speeches from representatives from the Ministry of Economic Planning and from the Business community. 

The Department will also host a panel discussion on NBC Radio’s Views on Issue Programme on Sunday, May 15th from 11am – 1pm, and a workshop for entrepreneurs on Thursday May 19th, 2016.

Kingstown, April 15, 2016: The Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on Friday April 15th, launched its second Call for grants proposals from local businesses as part of continued initiatives to provide access to funding to develop local enterprises utilizing modern Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

This activity, which is being implemented by the Ministry of Economic Planning, Sustainable Development, Industry, Information and Labour, falls under the Business Incubation programme of the ICT-Led Innovation component of the Caribbean Regional Communications Infrastructure Program (CARCIP) SVG project. It provides access to grant funding of up to EC $100,000 (US $37,200).

To be eligible, the business must be ICT or ICT-enabled in nature and be a client of the eligible incubator acceptable to CARCIP which is the St Vincent and the Grenadines National Centre of Technological Innovation (SVGNCTI). The business must be legally registered with the relevant authorities in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, provide counterpart funding of 20% of the cost of the project (20% can be in-kind, an equivalent monetary amount or a combination of both) and accept the financial requirements of the program.

For more information, interested applicants can contact the Telecommunications Office located on the 4th Floor of the CLICO Building in Kingstown at telephone number 456-1223 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The Call for proposals will close on May 18th, 2016.

CARCIP SVG is a regional initiative that involves St. Lucia, Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines and financed through a loan by the World Bank. This programme is estimated to cost EC $ 2.835 million (US $1.05 million) and to date over EC $1.144 (US $0.425) in grants have been awarded to local entrepreneurs.