CARICOM Ministers Adopt Aggressive ICT Strategy
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CARICOM Ministers Adopt Aggressive ICT Strategy |
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Contact: Rose Blenman; rblenman@caricom.org Jennifer Britton; jbritton@caricom.org
(CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana) October 16, 2004 - The Third Meeting of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Ministers responsible for Information and Communication Technology, ended in Barbados, Friday 15 October 2004, with commitment to an aggressive and focused strategy to accelerate the adoption of Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICTD) within the Community. The accelerated focus places people first, and envisages “a new departure for Caribbean ICT and Development.”
Noting the rapid development in technology, the Meeting received and endorsed the recommendation from the Third Meeting of Directors of Government Information Services and Chief Information Officers that ICTs must be utilised in information sharing. On the emerging role of GISs in Caribbean integration the Ministers agreed that more time be allocated to the broadcast of regional issues and develop active working relationship between GISs and the Region’s institutions. The Meeting further directed the establishment of a working relationship at the national and regional levels, and the conduct of a study for collaboration with respect to the Regional content of public education.
The Meeting also paid tribute to former Chief Information Officer of Barbados, Ms. Margaret Hope for her sterling contribution in the area of Information and Communication in the Region.
The strategy for ICTs urges the Community to regard the building of a Caribbean ICT development programme as an experiment to produce insights relevant to broader and deeper development questions, such as how the Caribbean as a Region consisting of small open economies, could engage with the wider world in a manner that is beneficial and mutually rewarding, rather than exploitative.
The strategy calls on CARICOM to adopt a fresh approach to ICT policy and regulation, capacity building, research and innovation, and to ensure that publicly-funded ICT programmes focus on disenfranchised and under-served customers who are currently not benefiting from the creative efforts of “the best and brightest” in the ICT industry. Special attention is directed to the potential advantages of a range of approaches including e-literacy, e-government, and skills training for cultural organizations and entrepreneurs to facilitate worldwide marketing of Caribbean cultural products. The Meeting further agreed that provision of low cost high bandwidth communication access, for all citizens of this Region should be actively encouraged to facilitate this thrust.
The ICT Strategy urges national and regional organisations in CARICOM Member States to prepare “with the utmost emergency" and accelerate, action-oriented ICT projects in key areas including: ICC Cricket World Cup 2007, Disaster Preparedness, CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) trade facilitation, developing skills and interest in cultural entrepreneurship, E-government projects at community level, and wireless access connectivity projects.
A number of areas were identified as potentially viable in the preparation for the Region’s hosting of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007. These include the use of ICTs for logistics management and venue scheduling, e-commerce for global ticket sales and merchandising, integrated tour/ticket packages, and television broadcasting and web streaming.
The Meeting endorsed the proposal that the CARICOM Secretariat coordinate ICT activities in the Region, including preparation for participation by Member States in WSIS in 2005.
The Meeting approved an ICT action plan, which would see specific actions undertaken immediately with complementary activities and targets set and met by the third Quarter of 2005.
It is anticipated that the Fourth Meeting of CARICOM Ministers responsible for Information and Communication Technology would be held no later than 31 January 2005, in order to agree on a harmonized regional position for participation at WSIS 2005. |
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