The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine hosted a National Validation Workshop at the Principal’s Salon; a collaborative event with The Ministry of Public Administration and Artificial Intelligence (MPAAI) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), on Friday 27th February, 2026.
The Workshop marked a critical milestone in Trinidad and Tobago’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Readiness Assessment process.
It served as the final consultative review to verify and refine findings emerging from a series of multi-stakeholder consultations convened in January 2026 under UNESCO’s Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM).
The validation exercise ensures that the resulting national AI roadmap accurately reflects the unique priorities, institutional landscape, and development aspirations of Trinidad and Tobago.
The RAM Validation Workshop featured a series of high-level addresses, including remarks by Minister of Public Administration and Artificial Intelligence, Senator the Honourable Dominic Smith.
In his address, the Minister reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to building a responsible, inclusive and forward-looking digital society.
“We seek a future in which technology serves people, not the other way around. A future in which innovation flourishes without compromising rights, equity, or public trust. A future in which small states like ours are active architects of technological progress,” Minister Smith stated.
Other distinguished speakers included Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal, The U.W.I. St. Augustine; Mr. Eric Falt, Regional Director and Representative, UNESCO Regional Office for the Caribbean; and Dr. Letitia Addison, Lead Expert, UNESCO RAM Trinidad and Tobago.
The Workshop represents the culmination of an intensive diagnostic phase conducted across five (5) core dimensions: Legal and Regulatory; Technological and Infrastructural; Societal and Cultural; Scientific and Educational and; Economic
This initiative directly supports the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago’s Official Policy Framework, which places human-centred and inclusive digital transformation at the forefront of national development.
Through the establishment of ethical, governance and technical frameworks, the Ministry continues to operationalise its mandate under its three core pillars: Digital Services; Smart and Efficient Government; and a Digital Nation.
The finalised National AI Readiness Report is tentatively scheduled for official public launch in April 2026.
The Validation Workshop also forms part of a broader suite of National AI Readiness initiatives spearheaded by the Ministry, including:
- Deployment of the AI Landscape Assessment (AILA) in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
- The launch of a National AI Academy in collaboration with UNDP. The United Nations International Computing Centre (UNICC), and CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean.
- A landmark partnership with OpenAI under its “Education for Countries” initiative, aimed at modernising national education systems through AI-enabled tools and capacity building.
For further information on the National AI Readiness Assessment, members of the public are encouraged to visit the Ministry’s website at https://mpaai.gov.tt/initiatives/ai-readiness-assessment or contact the Communications Unit at mpaaicommunications@gov.tt.