HP awarded $83Million Contract by KAMLA

[RASC]

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/_83 ... 34073.html

$83m laptop contract awarded
...Gopeesingh: A good investment in the children
By Aabida Allaham


HEWLETT PACKARD (HP) has been awarded an $83 million contract to supply Trinidad and Tobago with 24,000 fully loaded laptops for distribution to successful Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) examination pupils.

Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh made the announcement during a news conference at the Ministry's head office in St Clair yesterday.

The cost is almost twice the amount initially announced by Gopeesingh at the July 15 post-Cabinet news conference at the Prime Minister's Office in St Clair. Nevertheless, the Minister insisted the benefits would extend far beyond their investment.

"The Government firmly believes this is a good investment in the children and, by extension, the human resource of this country," he said.

The Minister said he was "sure that the public would agree that we must secure the best value for money while making safety and security an absolute priority".

The Ministry of Education annually receives a budget of around $4 billion and Gopeesingh said the $83 million allocated for the laptops will come out of the Ministry's purse.

He added that the laptops will be designed to empower the next generation with the technological skills needed to take this country forward.

The computers will be outfitted with tracers and special security software that will prevent the children from accessing "bad sites", he added.

"The Ministry has placed specific emphasis on ensuring the technical relevance and applicability of the machines, particularly as the laptops are expected to serve students for multiple years," Gopeesingh said

"As a result, the laptops will be outfitted with... faster processing speeds, improved wireless capability, Bluetooth (wireless) connectivity, larger internal storage, faster hard drive speed, extended battery life, Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 and Learning Essentials 2.0 for Microsoft Office."

Teachers have already been enrolled in a special training programme geared toward teaching them how to productively use the laptop in the classroom and to teach pupils who would not have had previous exposure to computers how to get the most out of them.

In addition, Gopeesingh said "all 151 secondary schools will have information technology technicians assigned to each one of them" to further assist and educate pupils and teachers on the use of the laptop.

When asked specifically how they intended to ensure the laptops are not stolen, the Minister said they intended to run a campaign outlining that stealing them would not be beneficial, as they would be locked, once reported, and the child would eventually lose out.

Gopeesingh said they are working to ensure that all schools which are under construction will be completed in time for the start of the new term next month.

[Sky]

Duane I think you should buy more bandwidth for your server. A storm is coming....

[teems1]

hrm, 3458.33TT per...

that could get a fairly decent specced one, especially if HP gives them discounts for buying in bulk...

HP laptops are problematic tho, I foresee many laptop repair businesses being opened now.

[r3iXmann]

hrm, 3458.33TT per...

that could get a fairly decent specced one, especially if HP gives them discounts for buying in bulk...

HP laptops are problematic tho, I foresee many laptop repair businesses being opened now.

they'll be covered by warranty

[RASC]

HP laptops are problematic tho

You don't say...

Everyone under the sun knows this, now why in the hell would they allow the company most known for producing faulty laptops to win the bid...maybe it was rushed just so they can fulfill their promise? A promise which now costs TWICE as much, and without a substantial increase in quality of merchandise.

Research much anyone?

Gopeesingh-really? "We believe in the children" Yet at the same time they're taking away their parent's jobs and training with no viable alternatives announced.

[goalpost]

okayyyyyyy

[hustla_ambition101]

I wonder who was the "expert" who negotiated this "deal". On the bright side pornos can be shot on phone and uploaded to laptop immediately.

[RASC]

I wonder who was the "expert" who negotiated this "deal". On the bright side pornos can be shot on phone and uploaded to laptop immediately.

They must really think these children are STUPID.
They will hack the S**T out of these laptops and have them running as they please come the new term.

Wait what's that? Get called in about suspicious behavior related to your laptop? Return to normal, whipe harddrive and return as before. This is 2010/2011 we're talking about here...almost nothing is unhackable...they're gonna have to come REALLY good with these kids.

[Sky]

120y > march > civic > B14 > blackberry > HP notebook.

r3iXmann, you know very well those dv's burn down a day after warranty up . What they shoulda do was try to make a deal and get accidental damage instead of warranty.

Falling
Box lunch spillage
Bookbag gettin mash
Bookbag football
Getting hit on the PBR on the back of a child
Fights

Are all more likely to happen than the cpu exhaust melting the gpu contacts within the 1st year.
Then the kids will start stealing each others' notebooks claiming they could crack the security. This will then breed a new generation of script kiddies. Our newfound bandwith from columbus will be under some strain.
But y'know what....It's worth it. We have waaaayyy too many computer illiterate people in this country.

[buzz]

*purchases reballing kit*

[r3iXmann]

120y > march > civic > B14 > blackberry > HP notebook.

r3iXmann, you know very well those dv's burn down a day after warranty up . What they shoulda do was try to make a deal and get accidental damage instead of warranty.

Falling
Box lunch spillage
Bookbag gettin mash
Bookbag football
Getting hit on the PBR on the back of a child
Fights

Are all more likely to happen than the cpu exhaust melting the gpu contacts within the 1st year.
Then the kids will start stealing each others' notebooks claiming they could crack the security. This will then breed a new generation of script kiddies. Our newfound bandwith from columbus will be under some strain.
But y'know what....It's worth it. We have waaaayyy too many computer illiterate people in this country.

i would've bought some toughbooks for them kids yes

agreed 100% though

[buzz]

btw stolen laptops gonna be the craze now, after all, 12 year olds are most responsible


wasted money, but they had to deliver... ppl eh vote fuh nun

grants for/or giving the household a desktop would have made more sense IMO

a mobile PC is exactly that, why buy one when there in no need for, well, mobility ?

say wa, cyah say de man din deliver

[goalpost]

this was always, and still is a stupid promise...

[RASC]

this was always, and still is a stupid promise...

The masses ate it hook line and sinker tho...

[DFC]

something that the PNM cannot do,

the PP Delivers.
As, they will, all of their promises.

because Kamla cares for the children, and the children are our future.

[DFC]

$20 minimum wage?.

wow Rasc you getting an increase.

[Trini Hookah]

they could've bought Acers for them..and seriously do they REALLY need bluetooth?



expect and Increase in FATIMA incidents..

[RBphoto]

Well done minister. I have to say, comming from a not so well off family, I got to use (not own eh) a desktop for the first time when I was 21. Laptops have certain advantages such as it being an integrated unit, no cords, mouse, screen to maintain separately. Maintaining a workstation is the bane of many IT departments, and companies are switching to giving their employees laptops to improve efficiency of their IT departments, ehether the person is mobile or not. With a workstation environment, each school would need an IT professional to run a "computer lab". I don't know what actual machine they will be using, but HP has corporate grade machines that perform well, not like the DV series. I have a DV7 that working for a few years just fine "knock on wood". As for hacking the computer, I have used corporate laptops, and ifyou tamper with any aspect of the software, you get an e-mail ffom IT telling you to bring it in immediately (In my case installing windows messenger in an automatic update). They know what you did and when you did it. If any student attempts to hack these machines, they will be denied by the software. The corporate security program is quite strict about internet use as well, no matter what connection I use, but I guess I am OK till they block tuner

[RASC]

..and seriously do they REALLY need bluetooth?

THANK YOU!

[Chimera]

Parents should be made to sign contracts making them 100% responsible for the laptops.

Laptop lost-pay for it.

[Sky]

RASC you really gonna knock this too? Stop piggybacking on other posts. So what if they hack them. GOOD! That means they know their way around a computer. In 15 years the office workforce will start to become more efficient and the ICT force will become more elite. How is it you defend the bad things pnm do for the long term benifit but condemn the bad things PP does for the long term benifit.

[RASC]

I would really like to see how the apologists make up stories for their support in this.

The gov't has NO vision. It just does things, to appease the public. Mainly the lower/poor ppl, while the MAJORITY middle class is left with the tab.

[sharkman121]

something that the PNM cannot do,

the PP Delivers.
As, they will, all of their promises.

because Kamla cares for the children, and the children are our future.

Hmmm lets see....

Faulty laptops
Stop cepep
Revamped OJT
Reduce GATE
Pay for box lunch that citizens are already paying for.

What next

[Sky]

My groupies have arrived...I bask in the glory!
Not even two pages, and they refer to me personally. Nice!

When UML constantly ripped on the pnm I defended them when I saw fit. Now you doing the same and I'll do the same. Because just like him, you're being an idiot. Groupie? I just don't tolerate stupidity. And I hope you're trolling, else your education is just proving another money waste by the pnm.

[Trini Hookah]

Fellas about the GATE issue, can someone clarify this for me? Was told that all students signing up for school this year, would be 100% covered by GATE, but those for next year will have to pay a certain percentage? 40% or somewhere around that figure?

Someone even told me they even heard the minister mention that exact thing.

[goalpost]

something that the PNM cannot do,

the PP Delivers.
As, they will, all of their promises.

because Kamla cares for the children, and the children are our future.

Hmmm lets see....

Faulty laptops
Stop cepep
Revamped OJT
Reduce GATE
Pay for box lunch that citizens are already paying for.

What next

What?
I thought dey expanding GATE...and the box lunch thing is just rumour. OJT need some damn revamping; lewwe jes hope dey doh take dey damn time. Can't comment on the first two.

[nemisis]

They should have made Hp open a service center in Trinidad as part of the contract

[RASC]

My groupies have arrived...I bask in the glory!
Not even two pages, and they refer to me personally. Nice!

When UML constantly ripped on the pnm I defended them when I saw fit. Now you doing the same and I'll do the same. Because just like him, you're being an idiot. Groupie? I just don't tolerate stupidity. And I hope you're trolling, else your education is just proving another money waste by the pnm.

When persons conveniently go off topic and attack the OP, that's groupie status. Especially when the OP refrains at best from directly addressing his said groupies.

...and for your information I was educated under the UNC regime. See you're a groupie, because you believe ANYTHING other groupies tell you Thanks for your concern none the less. Now back to topic.

[RASC]

They should have made Hp open a service center in Trinidad as part of the contract

...AND train and hire at minimum 75% locals. Brilliant actually...

[sharkman121]

They should have made Hp open a service center in Trinidad as part of the contract

...AND train and hire at minimum 75% locals. Brilliant actually...

not a bad idea at all