Public Sector officials and representatives of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and regional development organisations on Wednesday (13 October 2004) agreed on a range of initiatives expected to refocus and accelerate adoption of Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICTD).

This accelerated focus, which places people first, envisages a range of programmes including: e-literacy, e-government, and skills training for cultural organizations and entrepreneurs to facilitate worldwide marketing of Caribbean cultural products.

Wednesday's deliberations involving primarily senior government officials, refined a series of creative and bold strategies which they will place before the Third Meeting of Ministers responsible for Information and Communication Technology due to be held in Barbados later this week.

The strategies urge national and regional organizations in CARICOM Member States to prepare "with the utmost emergency" and accelerate, action-oriented ICT projects to covers some five key areas:

    ICC Cricket World Cup 2007

    Disaster preparedness and environmental awareness

    Developing skills and interest in cultural entrepreneurship

    E-government projects at community level, and

    Wireless access connectivity projects

The Community is already implementing a number of ICT-based development activities including:

    Re-engineering the Caribbean Agriculture and Research Development Institute (CARDI) into an information resource for regional agriculture

    A disaster mitigation plan for Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA)

    E-government through Caribbean Centre for Development Administration (CARICAD), and

    Radio CARICOM; the Voice of the Caribbean Community

Contact:

Rose Blenman
rblenman@caricom.org

Jennifer Britton
jbritton@caricom.org