(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The work towards the development of a regional Information and Communication and Technology for Development (ICT4D) strategy and Action Plan will continue when the members of the Regional ICT Steering Committee meets in Barbados 13-17 October.

The meeting will bring together representatives from Member States of the Caribbean Forum of African Caribbean and Pacific States (CARIFORUM), other Regional and international organisations, representatives of private sector and civil society and the CARICOM Secretariat. This meeting is a follow-up from the meeting of the Committee in May of this year where it was agreed that the Committee would meet to develop a draft action plan to augment the development of a regional strategy.

In Barbados four working groups will outline specific deliverables of the draft action plans. The Working Groups that will meet are: Capacity Building; Access Connectivity and Internet Governance; Legal and regulatory Framework; and Business, Trade, Culture and Disaster Management.

In addition to reporting on the work of their Working Groups delegates will also review the draft framework of the Regional ICT4D Strategy. The Draft Framework and Action plan are to be presented to the next Meeting of ICT Ministers of the Caribbean Community.

The Regional ICT Steering Committee was established in 2004 and brings together a range of expertise and is organised in sub-committees. The Regional ICT Steering Committee serves as an advisory and support body to the CARICOM Secretariat identifying issues relevant to ICT4D and the Information Society and providing technical advice and briefs.