The Organisation of American States (OAS) is working on ensuring that all sections of the Caribbean community can have access to information and communications technology (ICT).
This is coming from the Assistant General Secretary at OAS, Nestor Mendez, who delivered a lecture at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill Campus, yesterday.
He said that across the globe more and more countries are becoming connected as they recognise its importance, both from a business and personal standpoint. However, some of the islands in the Caribbean have fallen behind when it comes to this connectivity in spite of the financial investments that have been made in ICT.
“As the world becomes more widely interconnected, new information and communications technologies (ICT) are rapidly changing the way people interact; how companies do business and how governments deliver public services. The Caribbean region lags behind on ICT connectivity with some isolated development gains in a few countries. Even though a significant amount of time and financial resources have been invested in ICT solutions, its positive impact in the region as a whole is yet to fully materialise.”
“There is also the case where the level of interconnectivity varies from one island to the next and more emphasis must be placed on ensuring that all persons can have access to the Internet, especially as it relates to the education of our young people,” said the OAS Secretary General.
“Furthermore, many countries in the region display varied levels of ICT development and broadband infrastructure. Appreciating the need to promote Inter-Connectivity in the Americas, greater effort is needed in identifying initiatives to expand broadband [Internet] access in the Caribbean, in particular for educational purposes, particularly for school children.
“It is with this in mind that the OAS is determined to provide the region with greater access to this broadband for all purposes, from commerce and industry, to disaster response,” stated Mendez.
“Taking this into account, the Organisation is currently engaged in working to support the expansion of broadband [Internet] access, and deliver services and ICT solutions that have a direct impact on people’s lives across the Caribbean. The initiative also seeks to consider other forms of connectivity, including but not limited to; establishment of I-Life Skills Centres in each Caribbean island; standardising the use of ICT in the classroom; electricity interconnection; connected systems of protected areas in the Blue economy; the creation of a network of Small and Micro business incubation centres, and the creation of a network of Post Disaster response volunteers, amongst others.” (PJT)
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