MANDEVILLE, Jamaica (JIS) -- As part of its 20th anniversary celebrations, the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) will be staging a regional Caribbean Information and Communication Technology (ICT) road show.

The Jamaica leg of the road show was launched on Wednesday under the theme, 'Harnessing the power of innovation - the engine for ICT-enabled Caribbean Development'.

The aim of the road show is to raise awareness within the public sector, the private sector, civil society and academia of the innovative approaches necessary for the effective use of ICT in government, business and social development.

Minister with responsibility for Information and Telecommunication, Daryl Vaz, in an address read by  the Mayor of Mandeville, Councillor Brenda Ramsay, said that the Government of Jamaica has placed a high value on youth and ICT, and that the hosting of the ICT road show signals the government's commitment to exploiting the power of youth and ICT.

"In hosting the Jamaican leg of the road show, Jamaica signals its continued commitment to exploiting the power which resides in our people, to create and to seize the multiple opportunities Information and Communication Technology platforms present, to shape for ourselves, in the Caribbean, a sustainable and bright future," he said.

President of the Jamaica Computer Society, Dainsworth Richards, said that ICT has been advancing the progress of mankind.

He asserted that it's a commonly accepted view that recovery from the global economic crisis will depend heavily on greater use of ICT innovations."Empowering us to even work smarter for national, regional and global development," he said.

The Jamaica leg of the ICT 20th anniversary celebrations begins with a series of parish events, culminating in a two-day conference, June 28 to 29, at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston.

The parish road shows will form a critical part of the celebrations as young people attending the events will be encouraged to get involved in embracing ICT.

The conference will provide participants with the opportunity to broaden the themes of the parish events, and explore and learn more from invaluable business models and strategies.

The Central Information Technology Office (CITO) and the Spectrum Management Authority (SMA), both agencies of the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), have partnered to host this event on behalf of the Government of Jamaica.

The annual CITO Summit will be integrated into the activities of ICT Jamaica leg celebrations.