NTRC Donates Over EC$13,000 in Equipment to Blind and Visually Impaired Community 

By S.Browne. Updated 9:56 a.m., Wednesday, August 5, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

The National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC) has provided more than EC$13,000 worth of equipment to the National Society of and for the Blind, in an effort to strengthen digital access and support greater inclusion for persons who are blind or visually impaired.

The equipment, valued at EC$13,341.33, was handed over on July 29, 2026, at the Society’s headquarters in Kingstown and included one laptop, two tablets and a Perkins Braille Machine.

The donation forms part of the NTRC’s Digital Resilience, Inclusion, Virtual Access and Empowerment (DRIVE) Project, funded through the Universal Service Fund (USF).

According to the NTRC, the equipment will enhance the Society’s ability to provide accessible learning, communication and digital services, while supporting braille literacy, digital skills development and improved access to information and technology for members of the blind and visually impaired community.

Receiving the equipment on behalf of the Society, Acting President Daniel Chambers expressed appreciation to the NTRC, describing the donation as timely and essential to the organisation’s work.

“The donated equipment was both timely and essential to the Society’s work,” Chambers said.

Chambers highlighted the importance of the Perkins Braille Machine, noting that it would provide practical support for persons who are blind or visually impaired.

“The Perkins Braille Machine will enable persons who are blind or visually impaired to write in braille, complete schoolwork, take notes, and strengthen their braille literacy skills,” he said.

The NTRC said the initiative reflects its commitment to digital inclusion by helping to ensure that persons with disabilities have access to the technological tools needed to learn, connect, and participate in today’s digital environment.

The handover ceremony was attended by Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of the Family and Gender Affairs, Persons with Disabilities and Labour, Angelita Miller; NTRC Universal Service Fund Administrator Shadeja Gordon; NTRC Consumer and Public Relations Manager Rhea Lewis; and members of the National Society of and for the Blind.

The NTRC said the DRIVE Project continues to support initiatives aimed at expanding access to technology and promoting greater inclusion across St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

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