"One UWI, One Alumni Family" 

On Dec 10, 2024, the dynamic team of UWISTAT Alumni Ambassadors behind the development of Local TT, an in-house platform revolutionizing public engagement and service delivery won the IDB PRAISE Award for excellence in public service in Trinidad and Tobago. The team is led by Digital Strategist and Senior Software Developer Emeka Farrier (UWISTAT Alum) and Senior Software Developer Kevan St. Brice (UWISTAT Alum). They combined vision, expertise, and innovation to create a solution that truly makes a difference.

Local TT empowers citizens to report and track public issues in their communities with ease, enabling real-time updates and fostering transparency in the government's response. With over 5,000 reports submitted to date and a growing user base of over 10,000, the app connects individuals directly to municipal services, ensuring faster response times and greater accountability. This initiative forms a part of the digital transformation integrated into Trinidad and Tobago's Local Government Reform, and gives the government ownership of data collected, while improving the reporting and response to citizens' issues.

I am especially pleased to see Alumni Ambassadors of the UWI STAT Ambassadorial Corps excel as the founder of the Corps. It is a visionary programme that, for nearly 19 years, has cultivated over 1,600 dynamic leaders who continue to excel and inspire as global advocates for change, wherever they now are in the world. These trailblazers are not only advancing in their professions, but also actively shaping communities and fostering innovation at every level – and Emeka and Kevan exemplify this.

For those of you who missed the annual YAA conference, the 2024 event did not disappoint! Participants obtained new ideas and actionable strategies for unlocking their potential. The annual YAA conference always provides an opportunity to learn and ignite change – so make sure you attend in 2025! It will be an enlightening and empowering experience!