i2i Exhibition
On March 17, twenty-six beneficiaries of the i2i (Idea to Innovation) Programme exhibited their projects at CARIRI’s Centre for Enterprise Development (CED) in Freeport.
This Programme is an initiative of the Ministry of Planning and Sustainable Development. It is managed by the Council for Competitiveness and Innovation. 
In CARIRI’s capacity as technical, administrative and developmental partner on the programme, the Institute organized this expo to enable recipients of the 2012 cycle to showcase their works, which have progressed from idea to commercial stage.
Guests, including potential investors, were quite impressed with the array of remarkable exhibits, which carried the following project titles: Fin Ray Aquatics; Hydroponic Farm; Project Green Office; Smaks; Print House; Glitz Glamour and Goodwill; X-Press Pastelle Maker; Farmer’s Friend; Cre84Good; Carnival GPS: Mobility; DTATTI (Developing the Art Form Through Technological Innovation); Lagoon Animation Studios; SEA Math Master; WI Books; The FELICITAS Project; V Toria Rhonda Vineyard & Winery; Teaching Through Theatre and Technology; Tjé Dou Bon; The Automated River Cleaner; Tassa Mobile App; Battery Déjȧ Vu; Caribbean Rum Cake; T.R.I.N.I.T.E; Nursery Seeder; JW Bykemower Exercise Apparatus and Multi-Functional Screw Drill.
The exhibition was formally opened by Dr Hon Bhoendradatt Tewari (Minister of Planning and Sustainable Development) with assistance from CARIRI Chairman Mr Hayden Ferreira, Permanent Secretary Ms Arlene Mc Comie, WAITRO Secretary-General Dr Rohani Hashim, WAITRO President Dr RK Khandal and Mr Liaquat Ali Shah, CARIRI Chief Executive Officer.
WAITRO-CARIRI Forum Held in Trinidad
“Increasing Competitiveness Through Innovation and Public-Private Partnerships” was the title of a two-day Networking Forum, which took place in Port of Spain on March 19 and 20, 2014.
CARIRI organised this event in collaboration with WAITRO (the World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organizations). It was held at the Hilton
Trinidad and Conference Centre.
Speakers at the formal opening were Minister of Planning and Sustainable Development, Senator Dr The Hon. Bhoendradatt Tewarie; WAITRO President, Prof RK Khandal; CARIRI Chairman, Mr Hayden Ferreira and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Liaquat Ali Shah.
The Plenary Session themes were: Fostering an Enabling Environment for Innovation and Public-Private Partnerships; Models of Innovation and Public-Private Partnerships; Policy Framework for Innovation and Public-Private Partnership; and Caribbean Initiatives in Innovation and Public-Private Partnerships”. Remarkable presentations were delivered by organisation representatives from Argentina; Barbados; Chile; China; Denmark; India; Jamaica; Kenya; Malaysia; Mexico; Uganda and Trinidad and Tobago.
Preceding this event, WAITRO held its 72nd Board meeting on March 18, followed by the 13th Regional Focal Point Meeting.
CARIRI is a founding member of WAITRO, which is currently headquartered in Malaysia.
The Ministry of Planning and Sustainable Developmentthrough its established Council for Competitiveness and Innovation (CCI) developed the “Idea 2 Innovation” (i2i) programme which gives an opportunity to innovators and inventors to submit proposals for innovative projects and creative initiatives for which the CCI would provide funding.