Among the goals for the gathering are to discuss and approve the draft Regional Digital Development Strategy (RDDS) and the strategic objectives of the Implementation Plan.
The CARICOM Secretariat has spearheaded the formation of the plan in order to guide the ICT activities and initiatives in the region, and to utilize ICT as a critical development tool.
The discussion will take place on the platform of the 36th Special Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED), under which ICT falls.
Commenting on the importance of the draft RDDS, Jennifer Britton, Deputy Program Manager, Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) noted that ICT “is one of the most important facilitators in strengthening the CARICOM Single Market and in ultimately creating a Single Economy.”
She noted that “the emergence of e-commerce, e-government, e-health and e-learning as critical mechanisms within the development process in this digital era, is evidence of the global embrace of ICT to improve efficiencies across a range of areas and sectors.”
In that regard, meeting participants will also consider a governance structure which will be critical for supporting the implementation of the draft RDDS. They will also discuss for subsequent approval, the Draft Regional e-Government Strategy (2010–2014) that was developed in 2009 by a core group under the leadership of the Caribbean Center for Development Administration (CARICAD).
The 36th Special Meetings of the COTED will be held under the auspices of the Prime Minister of Grenada, the Honourable Tillman Thomas, who has Lead responsibility for Science and Technology (including ICT) in the Quasi Cabinet of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM. Prime Minister Thomas is also the current Chairman of CARICOM.
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Quelle/Source: The St. Kitts-Nevis Observer, 24.05.2011
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