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CARICOM high-level confab… Roadmap on single Regional ICT space to be presented
- Will positively affect roaming rates, provide single area code
CARICOM’s Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque (Second from right); flanked by Assistant Secretary-General, Foreign and Community Relations, Ambassador Colin Granderson (Second from left); and Assistant Secretary-General, Trade and Economic Integration, Joseph Cox, during the briefing earlier this week
Aside from the issue of crime and the withdrawal of correspondent banking relationships within the Region, the creation of a single Information and Communications Technology (ICT) space, will engage regional heads as the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) convenes its high-level confabulation today.
The two-day summit is being hosted at the Marriott Hotel, Georgetown.
CARICOM’s Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, told media operatives at a recently held news conference at the CARICOM Secretariat that Heads of Government have agreed that the bloc begin pursuing – on the recommendation of the ICT Ministers – a single ICT space.
“ICT is in its own right, a sector and also an enabler of development and a key element in creating a single ICT space. It would include regionally-harmonised ICT polices, legislations, regulations, technical standards, best practices, networks and services,” the Ambassador said.
He added that the initiative will positively affect such issues as roaming rates, provide for a single area code, as well as address spectrum and broadband matters.
A highly technical team being headed by the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) has already prepared a roadmap. This will be presented during the course of the Caricom Inter-sessional meeting which gets underway today.
It consists of recommendations on how the community goes forward, LaRocque said.
According to previous reports, CARICOM’s Ministers of ICT endorsed the roadmap at a Special Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) held in Barbados on September last.
The meeting was chaired by the Minister of Economic Development, Housing, Urban renewal, Transport and Civil Aviation of Saint Lucia, Guy Joseph.
The Heads of Government have mandated the development of the Single ICT space by 2019 and have identified it as a key enabler for the formation of the CARICOM Digital economy.
According to the CARICOM website, the Single ICT Space will allow for harmonisation of the ICT and other legislative frameworks; the removal of roaming charges; the encouragement of digital entrepreneurship; will equip all citizens as Digital citizens; and will also look at ICT financial solutions among other regional benefits.
The Draft Roadmap for the Single ICT Space was the main agenda item of the one-day meeting which was held to coincide with ICT Week co-hosted by the Government of Barbados and CTU.
The CARICOM Secretariat and the CTU made presentations on the draft document.
Ministers also discussed issues on winding–up of the Caribbean Knowledge and Learning Network (CKLN).
At the brief opening ceremony of the COTED meeting, Minister Joseph reminded his colleagues that technology was changing at a rapid rate and that the Region could not afford to be left behind. He urged them to unite for a “collective approach”.
Minister Joseph also made an impassioned plea for Ministers to consider meeting more often and to stop “paying lip service” so that they could advance the work of ICT in the Region.
CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General, Trade and Economic Development, Joseph Cox, reminded the delegates that since ICT was a part of every conversation, they needed to keep that conversation alive and relevant in CARICOM.
He also encouraged the ministers to commit and invest more in ICT.
The next meeting of the COTED on ICT will be held in March this year.
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