Now that free Wireless Broadband at the Botanical Gardens has been officially commissioned and launched, Minister for Information, Science, Telecommunications and Technology, Kelver Darroux has announced that particular sites that may be harmful and promote violence will be filtered and blocked.
According to him, this is being done in an effort to encourage responsible use of the internet.
The project, to the tune of $210,000, was implemented by Digicel Business Partners in collaboration with the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC), DOMLEC, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Information and Technology.
“This project is not being done irresponsibly because a lot of times people believe that when you have free wireless, free access, people will tend to use it in an indiscriminate manner but every effort has been made to encourage responsible use of the internet,” he said while addressing the launching ceremony held at the Botanical Gardens on Wednesday. “And that is why I mentioned earlier on that some sites particularly sites that are harmful, sites that promote violence and pornography, these sites would be blocked and you will only be allowed to use the WiFi during the opening hours of the gardens.”
Darroux noted that internet service that has been available in the gardens throughout the month of October will be available on a daily basis between the hours of 6:00 am and 7:00 pm.
He stated further that this broadband initiative is a major step in the advancement of the technology in Dominica.
“This is a major step in achieving our goal to bring broadband connectivity to all our citizens on island,” he stated. “I believe that this is a step in the right direction.”
Furthermore he stated that the students of the Dominica Grammar School, in the vicinity of the Botanical Gardens who have recently received tablet devices from the government under its ‘One Tablet Per Child Program’, “now have the WiFi access here that enables them to receive it from the school.”
He also mentioned that other schools on island will benefit from the free Wireless access.
“In the area of Roseau we have several high schools and all of these high school students they have just recently received their tablets…they can come to the gardens in groups and they can do their homework, their research in this beautiful environment,” Darroux stated.
Darroux also pointed out that broadband technology underpins every facet of the modern world.
“We can have more interaction, greater interface between service providers, between citizens, between governments, businesses are able to transact their businesses much better, and will have greater innovation and communication,” he explained.
He stated that he expects citizens and visitors alike to use the service to conduct business.
“We know that we are in the peak of tourism season and we have quite a bit of visitors who come here through the Botanical Gardens to see the beauty of the gardens, and I am pretty sure that when they arrive here and they have access through this Wireless the tourists will be very much pleased, allowing them the opportunity to take out photographs one time and upload these photographs to their friends in the Diaspora,” Darroux noted.
Meantime, Acting Prime Minister Rayburn Blackmoore said the provision of broadband services in the Botanical Gardens is consistent with the bold vision and goals set for Dominica in the Dominica Labour Party (DLP) 2014 Manifesto.
“This country under the visionary leadership of the Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit is set on a path of socioeconomic prosperity driven by science and modern technology,” Blackmoore said. “The pledge to our people of this country can be found on pages 35 and 36 of the Dominica Labour Party Manifesto in 2014…during this term we will continue the development and expansion of telecommunications services island wide and provide universal coverage of the island through broadband connectivity.”
Someone need to inform the Minister of IT that the TOR browser exist and if it’s good enough for the CIA then i bet it’s good enough for the average secondary school kid.
WOW!!!!! Kelvar you really need a lesson in IT i can only do but so much for you. Maybe you think that these kids today a as dumb as their parents were when it comes to the internet. You probably believe that IExplorer and windows 10 we god sent. SAD!!!!!!SAD!!!!SAD!!!
What is your point?
Labour ka twavay….need I say more???? Well, I will!!! This blessed and divine Dominica Labour Party Administration is doing so much in moving Dominica forward in the technological sector. Dominicans on all sides of the political sphere are indeed compelled to acknowledge that the Dominica Labour Party is taking Dominica to the next level in the field of information and communication technology (ICT). It is this type of productive and innovative management that continues to fuel this mighty Labour train and ensure voters that they made the right choice in choosing the Dominica Labour Party as their Government. Labourites are already anticipating a sweeping victory in at least 19 constituencies come 2019-2020. This is only the first year of a new election cycle and Labour is moving miles ahead of the competitors in terms of winning minds and hearts. Most supporters of the Uneducated Wicked People are prepared to cross the political fence. They are falling in “Labour Love”…
10 Individuals voted for labour last election. 10 of whom lived in america for more than 10 consecutive years. Yes they were upset that i was busy when they asked for a ride somewhere. That is how they stole the election. Do a quick count yourself on this very page. How many comments are in favour of this Govt.
JUST IN CASE YOU MISSED IT BELOW
Nothing wrong with greater broadband connectivity . I applaud the initiative. However going on the visionary track record like the collection of garbage all over the island by garbage trucks I see problems we fail to give attention to. Today we have a smelly town accumulation of rubbish everywhere and recently vector bourne diseases. Now we have easier access to order everything cheaper online from the US and alibaba while local businesses continue to suffer from high VAT. The government need to find a way tax internet sales. With every increase in technology and every advancement comes the ugly bi products which we are never prepared for. Nothing is wrong in doing these things but they are done only for political posturing and the systems that need to be put in place so these initiatives can work properly are sidelines. Ilserial incompetence
Great venture by Digicel and NTRC!
Has anyone explained in any detail how the one tablet per child election bribe is expected to enhance the standard of education in the country ?
This is wonderful. Very good initiative for our students by the Government of Dominica and partners, Digicel and Domlec. When it is good say it is good.
It is good.
Wasting valuable resources in difficult times. I wonder what are the donors saying? This is a government that lacks vision.
I did not see captain Skerrit in photo? Where is he? Is he in NY visiting his friends he last saw in Macau, two weeks before EriKa? Is he in Singapore conducting personal business? Where is he? He is missing in action.
In the US where I reside, if an employee takes off two consecutive days without calling his boss, he has automatically fired himself from the job. Skerrit is employed by the state and on 10/15/2015, he informed his employers ((tax payers) that he would be out for ten days, for whatever reason. Ten days would means he would be back on state on October say 26. Today is the 28, so where is the man? Has he fired himself because he realize he will soon have to live the job and spend a few years in the US with his family and Tony, so he could spend more time with the likes of NG Lap Seng, Francisco Lorenzo, John Ashe and others, who were all celebrating in Macau, on August 25-26? Boy I sense some BREAKING NEWS is about to be made!! Stay tuned folks cause it’s not too far!
Step in the right direction! I’m hoping very soon our students will be able to access their books online for all their courses so as to ease up the pressure of those heavy book bags.
go digi!
Introduce the kids to the library, computer room not tablet per child…. allow then to venture through history books learn to read and write…Dominica was just hit by a major hurricane, still begging for food to put on the table, and rubber boots to cross from rivers to villages. today they are getting luxury things, that is wrong on so many levels I don`t get it…see how long that is gonna last them…they say teach someone to fish they`ll eat fish for ever…educate the children to rise above not sit and beg like mama and daddy…for top up..I reside in a big country in north America I have never seen such things…I know of a child who did well at school in DA, so as a result a family member of that child promised a pair of shoes, the child responded, shoes i doe want shoes na I want a Sampson galaxy 5. the adults have kids brain washed and materialistic…soon there will be no need for cable or TV to watch Scooby Doo…
I am not sure why you think Internet access in the western world is such a luxury. If used properly it can open up a whole new world that 1 book in a library.
Perhaps you may want to consider that as a large country there are many things in North America that you may not be privy to–does not mean it does not take place.
What do you think, that there is a botanical garden in every community.
very good
Darn! Digicel internet so slow. Partner with Lime instead na
A week ago I launched an initiative that supplements the “one tablet per child” program. Specifically it is a website to encourage Dominican students to take a wider interest in the Visual Arts. It is freely available and can be found at: [email protected]
The relevant department in the Ministry of Education has been informed this initiative and announcements have been sent to the media houses.
Since the 1990’s have I published a daily diary on the internet that follows my work as a painter and sculptor. Currently my diary pages are followed by art students in 38 countries. Over the years a number of these students have become artists in their own right.
I look forward to enabling Dominican students to achieve similar success.
For your interest, art students in the following countries regularly follow my sculpturestudiodominica.blogspot.com diary pages:
USA, UK, Ukraine, Philippines, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Columbia, Czech Republic, Ireland, Portugal, Algeria, India, Chile, Russia, China, Thailand, South Africa, Sweden, Poland, Serbia, Romania, Bangladesh, Australia, France, Peru, Brazil, Norway, Belgian, Italy, Japan, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, Malaysia, ShiLanka, Hungary,Dominica and most of the Caribbean Islands.
It could perhaps lay claim to being Dominica’s largest export!
Nothing wrong with greater broadband connectivity . I applaud the initiative. However going on the visionary track record like the collection of garbage all over the island by garbage trucks I see problems we fail to give attention to. Today we have a smelly town accumulation of rubbish everywhere and recently vector bourne diseases. Now we have easier access to order everything cheaper online from the US and alibaba while local businesses continue to suffer from high VAT. The government need to find a way tax internet sales. With every increase in technology and every advancement comes the ugly bi products which we are never prepared for. Nothing is wrong in doing these things but they are done only for political posturing and the systems that need to be put in place so these initiatives can work properly are sidelines. Ilserial incompetence
Hmmm. While i am in agreement with what mr. Darrox says i have a question. Why does the tablet freezes when it stays on for long periods of time?
Just defrost it in the river….
hahahahahahahahahahha!!!!!!!
everytime u watch pornographic materials too much it shuts down after a while,so maybe thats what u are doing???
hahahaha….good answer! they too impossible…they want to download all kind a f-ree on the tablet and doh expect it to freeze.
Right after the storm all u same Dominicans that was talking about coming together as one nation. all u even make video. Now the man trying to move all you donkey brain to a higher level with introducing technology, all u have so much negative feedback. It’s a great idea Kelva and Skerrit. U don’t know how to please Black Dominicans. I will maintain that the timing was off but a very good initiative to get them backward 3rd world thinking people up-to-the-times.
u already know it is coshonie
The heat from the inner components could cause it. Do they utilize batteries?. Batteries do become overheated. As every system, they should be turned off when not in use.
And now, ladies and gentlemen, I proudly present to you INTELLIGENCE GATHERING.
INDEED it is!!!!!!
Oh ho!! No wonder I not getting my favourite porn site. Weh papa
hahahaha i likeeee
http://wacapnetwork.org/category/press-release/
Is Skerrit on board?
All you obsessed with skerrit man. I mean all you looking for all news articles about the man wii. Get a life jeez!
What is your problem nuh? Steups.
They love him, man. They miss him.
Any person you put to run your business has to be kept in check. Dominica has a plague and it is not one of intelligence.