Parliamentary Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Kelver Darroux, wants today’s youth to engage in the spirit of volunteerism and socialization some more, and refrain from being too engrossed in technology.
Darroux made the remarks during the launch of the Digital Jam 3.0 at the Dominica State College auditorium on Friday.
“You should continue to use technology, for positive means,” he said. “And by that, I mean if you use your tablets, your smart phones, ensure that what you are engaged in, is for your own ‘upliftment’ and that of your fellow students”.
“You should cease and desist from using technology to bring down individuals and to embarrass other people and I want to send out a strong message to you that we have to continue to manifest technology in a positive light,” Darroux stressed.
He added that students need to balance technology and socialization because “a lot of times, we spend so much time on our cell phones, so much time on our computer, on our tablets, that we forget to go out there and socialize with our friends, our peers.”
“We forget to go and play a little basket ball …we forget to go out there in our communities and make a positive contribution towards volunteering on certain projects because we are so engrossed in our computers, in our smart phones, put them down for five minutes, ten minutes and place some emphasis on life and development because all these things are important,” he urged.
“You have to balance what you do with the rest of your life,” the young parliamentarian advised.
Darroux also took the opportunity to mention five pieces of ICT legislation which were passed at the last sitting of parliament, with the intention of stimulating the Dominican economy and creating the environment to facilitate online transactions.
These include the electronic funds transfer act, the electronic filing act and data protection act.
Darroux said the electronic transaction act, which seeks to establish the legal frame work necessary to facilitate electronic governance by government departments, local and public authorities and the private sector, provides for the use and acceptance of electronic records and electronic signatures and suitable safeguard mechanisms for government offices and the private sector.
“This act will also enable the inclusion of contracts and certain rights and obligations through electronic mediums. Conducting business online, through emails, messages and even face book is now legal,” he said.
He indicated that the electronic act, which is an amendment of the previous bill passed back May of 2010, was updated to harmonize Dominica’s legal environment with our OECS sister countries.
He said items such as digital photographs, email messages, text messages and GPS location data will not be denied as evidence in the Dominica legal system, simply because they are in electronic form.
He continued, “Naturally the authenticity of such records would have to be proven. We are now in a position to legally recognize foreign electronic documents which will enable both government and the private sector to transact business on line.”
Darroux said Dominica now had a much enhanced legal environment which gives greater service to investors, encourages competition, provides for consumer choice and improves consumer protection, while stimulating innovation.
What’s wrong with these guys nowadays, don’t they use the internet, don’t they use a cell phone, do these guys drive vehicles……I think all of them do; now how can this man be talking like that as the one in charge of the ICT initiative. We should be embracing Technology, we should be using it to make our lives easier whether work or play, we should be understanding the different forms of technology and how we can utilize this in agriculture, Media, business and Science.
Darroux Programming is the future:HTML, CSS, JAVA for e.g. Do you even know what any of these abbreviations mean “mister ICT man”. It saddens me that someone that has not done anything technology wise has not worked in the technology field is in charge of this…….do we see whats going on, the Skerrit Party running scared they don’t know what else to say or do.
I have one question can somebody show me or illustrate to me an ICT initiative that has created Jobs, empower people or even learning something new. Honestly Bro this is not your lane and I think you should get the hell out and give somebody the opportunity, someone that understands technology and it’s uses and effects…..
but nowadays who cares, Dominicans have been brainwashed to the point of no return…….Peace
“Kelver Darroux, wants today’s youth to engage in the spirit of volunteerism and socialization some more, and refrain from being too engrossed in technology” (Kelver).
You know it really takes a god, and I do not mean the Almighty God to understand the mentality if the so called people in authority in Dominica. Here we have a man supposedly taking in the government of Dominica behalf advising the youths of our country to ignore technology; however volunteer and socialize!
How much more stupid of an advise one can give?
Someone need to advise that idiot, that the world we live in today revolve around technology, without modern day technology the world around us would have long returned to the days of the horse and buggy. Volunteerism, and socialization in Dominica could mean plenty of rum drinking, and the use of cocaine, and marijuana.
Is it not better to advise the youth of our country to make better use of their time studying the worlds technology, learn as much as they can, and apply their knowledge in our country? You are trying to brainwash our youths into thinking that they have it so well in the country, thus they should desire no more than what you have to offer to them.
Hear this its all over the news in Los Angeles this morning, that soon Amazon will soon be using Drones to deliver packages to their customers home address. Let me give you an example: assuming you are in Dominica, and you purchase something on Amazon, they will simply attached the package to a Drone, address to you in Dominica, and that Robert un-man will fly all the way to Dominica, and drop the package in your front yard.
Dominica is the most backward place I know, if you are simply encouraging our our youths to simply relax, smoke Ganga, and drink alcohol, in a few years, almost everybody in Dominica will be walking around as zombies.
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
boss if u know what is better for you,just resign and go meet your pple if you have your greencard already,you doe even know what you saying
@soursop December 2, 2013
Nice saying here!
With Monelle all will be well
Kelvin your message to the young people of Dominica is a very profound one–let us hope that it is not too late yet; that the young generation is one who is completely grounded in a “fruitless” use of technology–the smart phone, the cell phone, the laptop etc.
It is so frightening to go outside, in the bus, in the shopping mall, and everywhere, to find almost every young person, including adults, so consumed in whatever they are doing through whatever means of technology that they are using–it hard to believe that they are aware of other people around them.
I hope that those who heard your message will take heed of your advice, technology is a good thing, but only when we use it fruitfully–otherwise woe be unto the next generation, if there is going to be one at all.
Elizabeth, the youth of today use smart phone to socialize, what are you talking about? The man is encouraging people to ignore technology.
Such people as this guy is incorrigible; anybody who takes such an advise will never progress in this life, it is because of the incorrigibles like him in government which cause Dominica to be so backward!
Do not encourage, nor condone his crap!
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
This joker Darroux is clueless as to whether it’s day or night, black or white in his political fairy tale world. Kelver Darroux couldn’t even be dog catcher in Haiti, only in Dominica – NO where else in the civilize world we see this level of incompetence , mediocrity and square pegs in round holes posing as what we call ministers of government
Elton John: ‘To end AIDS, we need more than a cure – we need compassion’
Ahead of Sunday’s World AIDS Day, Sir Elton John says the HIV/AIDS epidemic could be defeated today, without a cure, if stigma and discrimination was stripped away from the virus by society.
Writing in USA today, the singer and campaigner said: “It has been 30 years since AIDS first surfaced and began decimating communities throughout America. We are now perhaps in the final stretch of the long journey toward a cure. This March, a Mississippi baby was confirmed as another person potentially cured of HIV. French researchers suggested that 14 patients appear to be functionally cured. Experts are openly debating how close we are to beating the disease.”
“Lost in this discussion, however, is a sad reality: Science has already given us the means to end this epidemic, but stigma toward those with AIDS has prevented us from doing so.”
Sir Elton added: “The reality of the HIV/AIDS epidemic today is that the people who are most at risk for infection and illness have been historically denied quality health care and continue to face systematic discrimination and disenfranchisement. In other words, they are poor people, people of colour, people who are gay, lesbian or transgender, and people who use drugs.
“The science of medical treatment has progressed significantly — and yet, our attitudes toward these communities, and our treatment of them, are preventing society from implementing measures that could essentially eradicate the epidemic.”
Sir Elton concluded: “I hope and pray that science will find a cure for AIDS very soon. But more than a new medical breakthrough, we need a breakthrough in our understanding of what really drives this epidemic, and how our lack of compassion for those suffering from HIV/AIDS is making the epidemic so much wors
I am very much encouraged by the ultimate promulgation of these pieces of legislation. This will positively impact the investment landscape in Dominica.
Thanks for your contribution to these outputs comrade.
Criticism must be constructive to have any effect whatsoever.
Otherwise you just sound ignorant.