On behalf of Microsoft Trinidad and Tobago, I would like to fully endorse f the above-captioned project, which is being proposed for the Steelpan to be used as an ICT tool for use in education programmes, worldwide.

We quite agree that this project will certainly compliment the initiative of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago to use the steel pan as one of its vehicles for implementing its music education programme in schools as we as a country embark on our Vision 2020 project.

This project proposes to use Windows media Technology from Microsoft called HDCD®. High Definition Compatible Digital (HDCD®) is a patented encode/decode process for delivering the full richness and detail of the original microphone feed on compact discs (CDs) and DVD-Audio. HDCD® has been used in the recording of more than 5,000 CD titles, which include more than 250 Billboard Top 200 recordings and more than 175 GRAMMY nominations, and account for more than 300 million CDs sold. More information on this technology can be found at www.hdcd.com.

My personal congratulations go out to Mr. Mark Loquan and Mr. Simeon Sandiford (Sanch Electronix) for having the vision to pursue an extremely worthwhile project like this and wish them every success in this venture.

Pan is really beautiful!

George Gobin
Territory Manager – Eastern Caribbean
Microsoft Corporation