The Ministry of Information in collaboration with the CARICOM Secretariat has convened a consultation on the Draft Regional Digital Development Strategy.
The consultation, which is currently underway at the Fort Young Hotel, will place emphasis on key sectoral strategies touching on the key pillars of economic growth and development.
It will also address ICT cross-cutting themes as it relates to tourism, health care services and education.
Director of Telecoms Sylvester Cadette told the opening ceremony this morning that the consultation is also intended to get in depth input from representatives of all key sectors and other stakeholders.
“Considering all the various facets of information and communications technology, it was important that we move in tangent with the rest of the world, not for sake of following, but kin other to set in place the right parameters for economic development,” he said.
Meantime, CARICOM representative Jennifer Britton, said ICT is regarded as the central economic infrastructure and the opportunities it provides are recognized by government and businesses across the globe “in terms of development of emerging economies and the recovery of developed countries looking for solutions to provide recovery” .
She said the rate of adoption by ICT by developing countries is slower than needed and one of the main defining factors of progress.
“It’s therefore crucial if the benefits of the new digital economy are going to be spread widely across the world and reaped by us in CARICOM,” Britton said.
Telecommunications Minister Ambrose George said while Dominica has made significant strides in the area of ICT, there is a lot more that can be done.
“While we have embarked upon a noble cause and while we have made strides, there are a lot more worlds to be explored…” George said.
Are any of the heads of IT in private industry who could make worthy contributions to such workshops invited to these events. E.g., I am the IT Manager for a company employing approximately 650 employees. Computers are the cornerstone of our business, yet no one has ever sought to interact with someone like myself who is responsibly for a massive network of computers, larger than any other on the island. Lol
ict is not a bad program we all have to learn to use a computer to keep up in this changeing world, but my concern is how we use that program. we have to be ready for E.Crimes better know as Electronic crimes when teach school children at an early age to network computers to install security programs etc, that could lead to serious problems later. another thing we dont have much I.T jobs in dominica so when we have young I.T technicians unemployed it signals to Electronic Crimes, but the program is an Excellent one we just have to be very carefull what we teach & at what age.
One thing for sure,is there can be no economic growth,without economic development..
What t we need is investments. Government need to create an atmosphere that is attractive,and friendly to investments. The stimulus of a economy is investments and a solid work force.
We need a disciplined,educated and efficient work force, as well as a disciplined environment.
Also,economic growth can neutralize debts and deficits.
It is the function of Government to create opportunities for its People. Our problem is we are need producing the means of our subsistence…That business of borrowing and borrowing more and more money,is not going to work, because we are just digging our selves deeper and deeper in debt….We need to start producing.
Borrowing more money and more taxation is a recipe for economic disaster. An economy hampered by restrictive tax rates,will never grow.
“How men organize to produce the means of their subsistence, constitute their fundamental means of survival”, and relations of society.
We cannot afford to fall back on old ideologies. We need a new and different mindset….We need innovative and progressive thinking.
Foreign investment is great,but we also need local investments as well,because local investment keeps the money circulating locally(at home),which will help our economy tremendously. So Government need to find ways to encourage more local investments.
Remember, investments create jobs…and GOD knows, we need jobs in this Country.
Thanh you.
Positive solutions and positive vibrations….
All the best…and……
Profound Peace…
UPTOWN REBEL!!
ICT in Dominica sucks.
Just visit the schools (esp primary) outside of Roseau.
Too many consultations and not enough computers, training and so forth.