Dr Gatt said that during the past four years the amount of persons having access to the Internet tripled from 22,000 to 66,000. Now that the Internet service has been offered free of charge for a month, each student has access to this service, while the amount of Maltese persons having an e-mail address increased by 1,000, he stated.
The Minister continued that these figures are a proof of the government’s success in the electronics’ sector. This is a success following the success of the investment since 1989, which has been stopped under the Labour government between 1996 and 1998.
The webphone is an initiative of eMalta Commission whose aim to give access to everybody to the opportunities offered by the Internet. Today, he said there is a Webphone in each locality offering Internet, email, sms text messaging. One may also send video email, Dr Gatt said.
This initiative, he continued, was also taken to offer access all over the Maltese Islands to all those who can use the Internet and email. With these new webphones, a person can also use the services of the e-Government free of charge, as well as access to various websites belonging to the sponsors.
Minister Gatt explained that this initiative is not the only one of its kind and mentioned the Internet Centres in each Local Council and the ECDL with which students would have access to work everywhere. He also referred to the myWeb initiative where after that the government offered training free of charge to everyone, 8,000 persons are currently learning these technologies. All this shows that the electronics is the way forward, concluded the Minister.
This project is a joint venture between the Ministry for Justice and Local Councils, the eMalta Commission, Maltacom, Bank of Valletta, MIC, Maltapost and Megabyte.
Terranet Limited Chief Executive Officer Keith Fearne stated, "Web payphone development is still in its infancy all over the world, and Malta will again be at the forefront of technological innovation through the installation of these kiosks."
Quelle: di-ve
