That’s the view of Minister responsible for Information Technology Dr. Edmond Mansoor, during his address at the opening of a two-week workshop on ICT and the networked economy: Training for the new economy, at the Jolly Beach Resort.
“With flat-rate pricing models of communication services, hopefully an impending reality in the Caribbean (the government of Antigua & Barbuda is certainly advocating this position), we can eliminate the tyranny of distance and remoteness. In fact, for those of us who use the Internet or VOIP (Voice-Over-Internet Protocol), distance no longer exists,” Dr. Mansoor outlined.
He said that ICTs provide opportunities to build a more just and equitable information society, in which countries, even with disadvantages such as the lack of industrialisation, for the first time, have a real chance to catch up with the developed world.
“The digital divide poses several challenges for our countries because governments are being forced to choose between many competing objectives in development planning…The scale of the problem in bridging the digital divide will require adequate and sustainable investments in ICT infrastructure and services, and capacity building, and transfer of technology over many years to come,” he noted.
The information minister also stated that financing for ICT development needs to be placed in the context of the growing importance of the role of ICTs, not only as a medium of communication, but also as a development enabler and as a tool for the achievement of the internationally-agreed development goals and objectives, including the Millennium Development Goals.
He pointed out that in the past, the financing of ICT infrastructure in the Caribbean was based on public investment. Lately, a significant influx of investment has taken place where private sector participation has been encouraged, particularly where public policies, aimed at bridging the digital divide, have been implemented.
“Advances in communication technology and high-speed data networks are continuously increasing the possibilities for our Caribbean countries, and countries with economies in transition, to participate in the global-market for ICT-enabled services on the basis of their comparative advantage. These emerging opportunities are providing a powerful commercial basis for ICT infrastructural investment. For example, Antigua & Barbuda will shortly become the home base for a multi-million dollar data centre offering services to the banking community both in the Caribbean and in North America,” Mansoor said.
He said that it is essential that governments continue to take action, in the framework of national development policies, in order to support an enabling and competitive environment for the necessary investment in ICT infrastructure and for the development of new services.
Mansoor also outlined that attracting investment in ICTs has depended crucially upon an enabling environment, including good governance at all levels, and a supportive, transparent and pro-competitive policy and regulatory framework, reflecting national realities.
Among some of the themes to be covered at the workshop being held at the Jolly Beach Resort are: ICT/Telecom in trade policy – liberalisation benchmarks, Cross border trade and ICTs, E-government and the economy, Wireless network – options for ICT in the economy, Movement of skills (ICT) in trade – examples from the Diaspora and the labour factor in the ICT networked economy.
Quelle: AntiguaSun, 07.03.2006
