13865_577439955602110_1109328259_n

Eighteen year old Dierdre Zoe Subran-Ganesh of Trinidad & Tobago  emerged first in the highly acclaimed 7th Annual World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) Essay Competition.  Ms Subran- Ganesh is no stranger to CANTO’s WTISD essay competition. This is her second attempt in a playful sibling rivalry to outdo her brother Zachary Subran-Ganesh who placed third in the same competition last year.

Dierdre said: “Last year, after seeing Zachary win third place I really wanted to try again. I was disappointed that I did not place but my mum encouraged me; she always encourages me to enter competitions as well as my school.

Deirdre further said that upon hearing that she won the first place, she was happy and ecstatic and cannot wait to interact with others at CANTO’s 29th Annual Conference & Trade Exhibition (CANTO 2013)  and experience Aruba. Ms Ganesh is currently studying History, Sociology and Literature at Holy Faith Convent and will pursue studies in Law.

World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) spearheaded by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is observed annually on the 17th of May. To commemorate this occasion, CANTO based in Trinidad & Tobago engages in numerous activities including an annual essay competition. This year, CANTO staged the competition under the current ITU theme of: “ICTs and Improving Road Safety”.

The competition included participating member countries of CANTO. Entries were judged bya panel of experts in the field of telecommunications and education on creativity, organization, mechanics and educational/technical merit. The top four (4) essays will be awarded the following prizes:

  •  1st Place: trip for 2 plus hotel accommodation to CANTO’s 29th Annual Conference and Trade Exhibition in Aruba  from the 14th – 18th  July, 2013; a netbook computer  plus US$1,000
  • 2nd Place: netbook computer plus US$500
  • 3rd Place: smartphone plus US$250
  • 4th Place: smartphone

The top four places  were as follows: First Place: Dierdre Zoe Subran – Ganesh, Holy Faith Convent, Trinidad & Tobago; Second Place: Gionieva Fraser, St. Joseph Convent, Trinidad & Tobago; Third Place: Kamilah Jamila Parker, Antigua Girl’s High School, Antigua & Barbuda; Fourth Place: Terrikia Benjamin, Antigua Girl’s High School, Antigua & Barbuda.

CANTO congratulates all the entrants from Antigua & Barbuda, Belize, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad & Tobago.  CANTO also thanked all its members for promoting the campaign in their respective countries and the following judges for their time and patience: Julian Wilkins (Digicel Trinidad & Tobago); Wendy Rocke (Soroptomist Port of Spain); Vydia Bhagan (TSTT); Joyce Zijler (Ministry of Education, Suriname) and Dr. Dionne Miranda of Belize Telemedia Ltd.

The Board of Directors and CANTO Secretariat extends a happy World Telecommunication and Information Society Day to its membership.

CANTO reminds all that ICTs are important and so is your life! While driving put the mobile phones away to live another day!  

End

May 17th 2013, Trinidad & Tobago

 

CANTO 2013 – WTISD Agenda:

 

CANTO is recognized as the leading trade association of the ICT sector for shaping information and communication in the Caribbean. Founded in 1985 as a non-profit association of 8 telephone operating companies, CANTO has now grown to over 110 members in more than 32 countries. A Board of Directors appointed by the membership directs policy of the Association. This strategy is executed by the staff of a permanent Secretariat based in Trinidad and Tobago.