INTRIGUING JOURNEY
Friends hurdle bureaucratic obstacles in technology
THREE YOUNG friends from rural Jamaica, each of them age 21, have accepted the challenge to embrace entrepreneurship. Along the way, they have experienced the usual bureaucratic hurdles that the authorities have long acknowledged need to be removed to create an enabling environment for business to thrive. They overcame some to win a major business competition at the University of the West Indies and now share their story. Odaine Williams is the narrator.
It is sometimes the belief that the road to success is easy, but is it? It was definitely not easy for us as young males trying to carve our way through the labyrinth of society. I have been fortunate to be a part of an amazing group of individuals.
This group consists of Marvin Richards who is currently a student at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, Ricardo Gaynor, who is currently enrolled at the University of Technology, and me, Odaine Williams, who is also at the UWI.
Our journey champions the belief that anything the mind can conceive and believe can be achieved.
“Our intriguing journey as a group all began in 2008 at Edwin Allen High School in Clarendon. I was in the same class with Ricardo, but was introduced to Marvin on the Schools’ Challenge Quiz team. From those encounters, we knew that our friendship would be a lasting one, as we recognised that we shared similar interests related to science and technology and we were constantly brainstorming new ideas. Furthermore, we were active members of the science club and were also instrumental in the formation of a business and technology club at the school.
That passion took us to the 2015 annual 4-H national competition, where our antipraedial larceny project captivated the attention of many people; however, we were not victorious, but that project proved that nothing beats hard work.
GUIDANCE IN SETBACKS
“We were not perturbed by the setback and with the help of Mrs Norma Sinclair, the 4-H teacher, and Herod Howell another team mate, we managed to cop the first place prize in the entrepreneurship category the following year.
That achievement was a catalyst, as we were featured in The Gleaner, on radio and on TVJ’s Smile Jamaica for our Jaagro marketing mobile application.
“Post-competition was where we were to received our fair share of challenges.
For one, we encountered many bureaucratic blocks in trying to partner with the Government, so our solution could be implemented on a large scale, and unfortunately, we were not successful.
“We went to the Ministry of Agriculture and we were told that we were thinking ahead of out time ... that there was no infrastructure in place for our platform.”
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.” — Winston Churchill.