The National Library and Information System Authority (NALIS) was named a Finalist in the 2025 Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) President’s Award for Innovation in Service Excellence for the Public Sector (Pr.A.I.S.E) in the Citizen External User Experience Category for its “Marrakesh Project”, and at the final Awards Ceremony, held at the President’s House on November 26, walked away with its Finalist Certificate, and the Audience Choice Impact Award in its category.

This award, determined by the judges, recognises the project’s promise and potential to positively impact the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago. Introduced last year, this special award category was created in response to the strong submissions received across all areas. The judges recognised the need to highlight one project per category that demonstrated exceptional potential for national scalability and meaningful social impact.

The NALIS Marrakesh Project is significant given that the Authority continues to convert local materials for students who are blind, visually impaired and print disabled, and continues to contribute to the Accessible Books Consortium (ABC), allowing persons world over to access local content.  As the Authorized Entity under the Marrakesh Treaty, NALIS is the only entity in Trinidad and Tobago lawfully sanctioned to publish works in accessible formats like braille, audio and large print, for persons who are blind, visually impaired and otherwise print disabled.

After applying to be considered for the President’s Award, a NALIS team consisting of Helen Johnson, Director Information Networks Division and Donna Hall-Comissiong, Librarian IV, presented the project in person to IDB’s esteemed panel of judges on October 7.  NALIS was among twelve Finalists - government Ministries and Departments - with projects that demonstrate positive impact on the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago under two main categories: Internal User Experience and External Citizen Experience.

Now in its eighth year, according to the IDB, “the President’s Awards continue to celebrate excellence and innovation within Trinidad and Tobago’s public sector, showcasing exemplary initiatives that enhance citizen service delivery and improve efficiency.”

The 2025 President’s Award for Innovation in Service Excellence in the External User Experience Category was won by the Ministry of Education for its project, “First Year Infant Registration System T&T (FIRSTT)”, and the Internal User Experience Category was won by the North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA) for its project, “Implementation of a Comprehensive Health Information System at the North West Regional Health Authority”.