In their 2020 election manifesto, the government of Trinidad & Tobago excited many with the thought of national innovation, by anchoring its 5-year strategic plan on the creation of a digital society. The movement towards national digitalisation has been inevitable since the explosion of the Internet in the latter half of the 90s. Early adopters, such as Estonia, have shown the world the realisable benefits of the approach.
However, for Trinidad & Tobago, the movement is nothing short of a necessity. Within the last decade, national progress has stalled, and the last administration was forced to shift focus over to restoring economic stability after the ripple effects of the global recession of 2008/2009 eventually took their toll.
In an address to the Roadmap Recovery Team, the Prime Minister admitted that the country has been underperforming and failing to utilise technology as a means to accelerate development. It was at this meeting that he accepted a recommendation for the adoption of a unique e-identity card for every citizen.
The idea came from Michael Annisette, general secretary of NATUC and president of the SWWTU. I must admit that during my many years of encounters with this union leader I have found Mr Annisette one of the best-read and strategically astute activists in his field. He possesses an intuitive and probing mind with the ability to fashion creative solutions, while others remain stuck in outdated dogma and rhetoric. So I was not surprised that such a recommendation would come from this gentleman.
THERE IS general agreement within the region that digital transformation is not only desirable; it’s both necessary and overdue.
In his feature address at the launch of CANTO’s 2019 conference at the Hyatt Regency on Sunday, Minister of Public Utilities Robert Le Hunte cited forward looking quotes by Grenada PM Keith Mitchell and Dr Warren Smith, president of the Caribbean Development Bank, before adding his own solemn warning.
TSTT and Huawei lead the charge
Communication solutions provider TSTT is currently working hand-in-hand with the government towards achieving the vision of a digitally transformed government by 2022.
Partnered with information and communications technology (ICT) multi-national Huawei, TSTT is on-course to attain the many laudable and essential goals outlined in the third phase of the National ICT Plan (2018–2022). This comprehensive five-year plan is geared towards enabling digital technologies for national development as an e-government as well as a sector for economic diversification
CRIMSON Logic senior vice-president Balagopal Nair yesterday said e-government was good politics.
He gave a presentation at the Tech Hub Island Summit at the Hyatt, Port of Spain.
Nair said the use of digital government in countries such as Singapore had improved the quality of services delivered to citizens, but observed the implementation of e-government across the world has not been even, referring to a survey of countries from 2003 to 2018, that showed several East Asian and Nordic countries are very advanced in implementation of e-government.