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**Daemona Young** » 2012-11-19 23:34

I am glad that someone sees the value of technology to students and this could realy revolutionize classroom instruction with kis being able to use interactive labs and have access to materials we never dreamed of. My only question is will the Governement and the education ministry see the potential and look into professional development for teacher as to how this technology can be best utilized?

**UNITED STATES** » 2012-11-19 19:58

Last week when this story broke.I asked the question,where is Mansoor getting 10 million dollars to spend on Ipads.The Government is virtualy broke.If they had come out with Digicel and hold a press conference and explain the whole matter.All of the guess work could have been avoided by all and sundry.Please Government,UPP, follow your motto of transparency.

**SlyThatGuy** » 2012-11-19 18:15

I do not believe that Digicel could carry out this program without subsidies coming from the government or elsewhere. If the government, tax payers have to foot the bill. Giving out free phones is just a business ploy for the company. This way,when each person receiving a free phone turns around and apply for service,it translate instant business for Digicel. The price for the "free phone" is recovered in the long run.

JD » 2012-11-19 17:06

Proof that governments and corporations really do think that the paying public is stupid or that they can get away with saying and doing 'anything'...

**tenman** » 2012-11-19 16:59

Technology Freak, are you under 10? I ask because you seem to still beleive in Santa Claus

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**Technology Freak** » 2012-11-19 15:56

Digicel is offering FREE tablets to over 6,000 students for the betterment of their education and we are complaining? Each year technology is getting more and more advanced and if Digicel wants to take a stand and educate the nation and not leave them in the dark ages why are we fussing?
Wise up and get with the program it doesn't matter who is footing the bill. Stop making everything so political!
What are the other telecommunicati on companies doing for us and our kids? NOTHING!

Wise up and stop being political and let Digicel help our children grow!!!

**READER** » 2012-11-19 15:51

IF WE SHOULD CHECK DIGICEL'S TRACK RECORD WE WOULD FIND THAT THIS IS HOW THEY DO BUSINESS. GO BACK TO WHEN THEY FIRST ENTERED ANTIGUA, EVERYONE WHO WAS OVER THE AGE OF 18 IN BARBUDA WERE GIVEN A CELLPHONE, WHY ? I WOULD ASSUME ITS TO GET CUSTOMERS. IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN POLITICALLY MOTIVATED. THEY ARE JUST VERY SMART BUSINESS PEOPLE. THEY HAVE A FOUNDATION, THEY ARE ALWAYS GIVING AND THATS WHY THEY ARE GIANTS IN THIS INDUSTRY.

**tenman** » 2012-11-19 15:11

Morris, this is why the public must be shown the agreement, the fact that its hidden tells me its controversial. We truly need, as John FrenchII, as stated a real utility and telecoms regulator
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**sagga boy** » 2012-11-19 13:43

If the island has no money to pay pensioners, why not borrow some from Digicel, problem solved, then again who really pays???!!!!

**ANTIGUAN WOMAN** » 2012-11-19 13:16

Really!!!!!!!! how very generous,we may be black but not all stupid.

**2 Cents** » 2012-11-19 11:59

Are you that navie and pre-K in your UPP thinking? Perhaps your reasoning is right but given the high level of consistent corruption, lies and incompetence that the UPP is known for, you should have at least attempted to be balanced.

Noticed neither Quinn nor the UPP ever denied the10millions story. Did they?

Bear in mind too, that it is quite possible that Digicel needed to maintain its corporate image and not suffer the backlash of public disdain. The 180% turn is clearly becaue of public outrage. Why not think about issues very deeply. Should this 10million be a lie the UPP would be demanding a public apology from the media or threatening to sue somebody...

**Morris** » 2012-11-19 11:30

How much market share, subsidies, tax breaks, environmental violations (towers) is Digicel "guaranteed" after this generous offer?

**lost** » 2012-11-19 11:29

Can someone tell me the meaning of acronym ICT?

**Skyewill** » 2012-11-19 09:27

Debriefing: Welcome to the information age. I believe this is the first evidence of the wonderful job you are doing to protect our country. It’s not a touch down, but it’s a first down. What really happened: because of your common sense approach of asking questions like; How you going to spend $10 million on ipads and pensioners nar get they hard earned money. How can anyone fight that? SS broke, infilstructure a mess, schools/college unfinished. Good job, ladies and gentlemen. DON’t celebrate yet. Remember what the Rasta man said, Rata-get-in-a-s afe. This became a public relations nightmare for both the government and Digicel who could not answer your questions. Do you know why no American troops was sent to Tripoli to get Gadaffi or Egypt for Mobarak? Information psychology. You must also be aware of the recent attacks on the media and freedom of information. They will try now you busted them to use this in a failing attempt to discredit the media and put doubt in your minds while they insert laws on page 13 because they don’t believe you will read everything. READ, READ AND KEEP READING. Don’t miss nothing! First and 10, here we go again.

**tenman** » 2012-11-19 09:17

No Economist this is what has been said about programs like this is the real world: (Devil is in the hardware by CNET Reviews Editor in Chief Lindsey Turrentine Jan 2012) news.cnet.com/8301-30677_3-57361919-244/apple-ibooks-in-schools-devil-is-in-the-hardware/":
Quote:

I predict that technology will simply grow old, and the school will struggle with crashing tablets or dying battery life until it abandons the fleet of iPads altogether and goes back to its more out-of-date textbooks. I've seen it happen before. The public school that my kids go to changed its name a decade ago after receiving a giant, technology-based grant to become a "communications magnet" focused on the technology of media. The principal later told me that the effort it took to maintain the granted PCs and their network was unsustainable and that, ultimately, the project distracted the school from its core mission: teaching children.

**tenman** » 2012-11-19 09:12

Lawyer well said. However in a country where many of the adult citizenry still believe in Saint Claus, your reasoned logic will mostly be missed. Anyway you look at this, tax payers will foot the bill either directly or indirectly

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**A wa ya!!!** » 2012-11-19 09:07

It was indeed said so its not something the media made up to cause trouble and the ministry was given the bill to pay, the change of tone came from when the information hit the air waves and everyone got upset about it.... Anyway from my understanding digicel was giving a few yrs subsidy which then will make them in upwards of $60million. So paying a small part now they will profit in the end..... Man sour finally killing apua , this man is working hard to keep his shares in digicel profitable... Lol

**Plantin Sucka** » 2012-11-19 08:28

Dear Mr Digicel, while you foot the bill for the IPads, can you please buy some eye pads to protect our children as they do their lab. work?

**No Economist** » 2012-11-19 08:23

Don't really have a problem with the reporting of this matter but the comments thus far, I am taken aback by. I was always taught that no price is to much to pay for education. Based on the comments I assume that the writers expect our children to be decades behind other countries with respect to the manner and method in which our children learn, I guess the sentiments is, like we normally do sit on our hands do nothing then try to play catch up.

**Lawyer** » 2012-11-19 07:40

For what purpose would Digicel foot 90% of this bill? If this was a rumor why the government ministry of information never corrected this rumor? I doubt Degicel paying $9M. I suggested that Digicel and the users should pay because in the end both will benefit from this. However, what is the plan? What will be the outcome of this initiative? Will this be an incubator to produce 21st century technology and good jobs? In other words, will it result in students creating iPad software to sell worldwide? Will this initiative lead to employing most of the 6,000 students when they graduate from school? If not, forget about giving the students a Christmas gift and put the money to good use like investing in an initiative that will provide interns then jobs for these students when they graduate. My business and others would even contribute to it if this initiative had a positive outcome. The government should not put the $1 M of tax payers’ money into this without explaining the Return on this investment.

@ » 2012-11-19 07:19

LOL. they footing the bill now! they got the favourable spec needed to launch their 4G thanks to the good Dr they can afford to buy ipads for the entire country. we still have to use their expensive service.

**A wa ya!!!** » 2012-11-19 07:10

All of a sudden they are taking the bill lol lol lol ..... Note to everyone on this blog this is credible information , obviously digicel will only do something like this with something good in return , I scratch ur back u scratch my back... I have been inform that digicel might be greeting 16yrs of free concession which may add up to $60million plus .... So please caribarena investigate this thing some more.... I can't believe our government is not pushing apua ... Mansour really have some serious xxxx xx digicel among other ministers...

**Jumbee Picknee** » 2012-11-19 06:27

Initially, I believe Digicel wanted the Government to foot the entire bill. However, once the plan was exposed, and there was Public outrage/outcry, then they did a 180 degree turn.
The issue of "SUBSIDY" must now be looked at carefully, as Digicel is protecting it's investment, and as a Private Company, that is expected.
However, private companies are not in the business of losing money, so the entire program MUST still be monitored closely BECAUSE Government who is in the business of giving Our money away is involved, and this makes it Our Business too.

**the watcher** » 2012-11-19 06:06

hahahahahahahah ....HA!!!

**1ken** » 2012-11-19 06:00

Small price to pay for killing Imobile.

**Hmmmmm** » 2012-11-19 03:53

So where did this rumour about Minister Quinn raving mad at being presented with a 10 million dollar bill for tablets come from? Are there persons in the press that are that diabolical? I am still suspicious. It is beyond me that some one would get up and make such a definitive statement about a bill being presented to the Minister of Education when it never happened. If it turns out that the Minister was never presented with the bill and that Digicel is in fact paying, I will have to think long and hard before believing whatever the press says as there would be no way of separating proof from political mischief.

**Toonuff** » 2012-11-19 03:10

Bit like West Indies Oil giving everybody a new Hummer to drive, then offering 20cents off a gallon of petrol........I 'd still struggle to pay my gas bill :sad:

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