By Fifi Rhodes WINDHOEK A local information technology company ITD was awarded a certificate as Microsoft Golden Certified Partner last week during a ceremony at the Blue Note Restaurant/Club in Windhoek. Starting in April of 1999, Paul Rowney, who used his home garage to get his foot into the business world, has made great strides as he slowly but surely was awarded support contracts, getting him off the ground. In that year, his hard work and determination paid dividends when he landed his first support contract, which catapulted him out of his garage to greater heights. With the rollover of 2000 IDT designed the Namibian Parliament website with other ingredients as bill and tracking systems. Partner status from the giant befell ITD as Microsoft awarded the company with its first partner status. Rowney together with his team of five have never looked back as they stepped into 2001 with another offer from companies such as the Roads Contractor Company for the Namibia Licence system and developing an ICT policy. The designing of the mobile training bus for Parliament and the training of 120 members are of the milestones that the company can hang on its office walls as a major achievement. And with the Microsoft Pathfinder agreement ITD set up computer labs for remote schools. As Namibians went to the polls in 2004 the Electoral Commission of Namibia found itself a partner with ITD by their handling and processing all voter cards, which included the scanning and verification, working behind the scenes. The computer labs took off in 2005 when the company landed another HP Partner Status. A hectic 2006 greeted ITD, as the Microsoft Modules were introduced in 26 schools and the staff complement grew to 25. A scoop for the New Year landed ITD another partner in the business world as the Namibian Ministry of Finance raked in the services of the well-connected company. Sajee Poulse, Microsoft Account Manager for South East Africa at the occasion said that his company’s products are for the every day business. “It’s all about inspiring people.”