Makonnen Blake-Hannah (right), adviser to Commerce and Technology Minister Phillip Paulwell, shares his knowledge in an aspect of computer technology. - File TECHNOLOGY PLAN
OUR FIVE Year Strategic Information Technology Plan for Jamaica provides opportunities for advancing economic growth and creating high quality jobs in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector. Under the Plan the ICT sector will be developed as:
- A platform for upgrading production methodologies and enhancing our international
competitiveness
- An enabler of modernisation in all sectors - tourism, manufacturing, agriculture,
health, education, mining, construction, finance and other service sectors
- A job creation activity in its own right and a contributor to increased
employment in all sectors that utilise technology. It should be noted that
e-commerce has revolutionised business transactions and facilitated more effective
competition with larger developed economies.
Specific projects to be implemented in the next term include:
- Expansion of the Information Technology Business Incubator at the University
of Technology. This will create the appropriate physical and technological
environment for the growth of technology/knowledge-based enterprises. This
incubator will support the provision of appropriate technology support services.
- An Information Technology Employment Creation and Development Programme
to create high quality jobs, strengthen our human resource base and facilitate
life-long learning and retraining
- A quick-start Facility and Venture Capital Fund to be financed by multi-lateral
institutions
- Continued sector expansion through investments such as the recent commitment
by West Corporation, America's largest outbound Call Centre, to an agreement
with locally-based Tekeservices Limited for the operation of contact centres
in Montego Bay and Portmore.
- In the next term, we will continue and expand information technology training
in:
- HEART Academies.
- Community Colleges.
- High Schools which will facilitate high-end training through an expanded
Caribbean Institute of Technology Programme.
The newly-liberalised telecommunication sector is now experiencing phenomenal
expansion. New investors - Digicel and Centennial Digital are together investing
approximately US$500 million in communications infrastructure, in addition
to a massive capital outlay by Cable and Wireless.
In the next term, we will:
- Complete full telecoms liberalisation by March 2003
- Encourage competition in the market to expand services and lower prices
to consumers
- Open up international voice services
- Allow Cable TV providers to deliver services such as Internet and international
voice telephony
- Introduce fixed wireless service
- Expand telephone service to provide universal access
The mineral industry is one of the strategic industry clusters that will serve
as a focal point of investment, export push and growth. Major new developments
are underway which demonstrate the confidence of investors.
These include the following:
- Tripartite arrangements for enhancing competitiveness in the bauxite industry
and revision of fiscal arrangements to boost investment for modernisation
and expansion
- Investment in the bauxite industry starting with the US$115 million expansion
of the Jamalco plant and the 200,000 tonne expansion of the Alpart plant
- Expansion of limestone production and export of limestone-based high value
products
- Development of other non-bauxite activities including marble and items
and semi-precious stones to enhance the craft supply to the tourism industry
- Expansion of production of volcanic rocks to meet demand from local and
export sectors
- Expansion of cement production to meet local and export needs.
The JLP's plan for information technology
CURRENT SITUATION
- Significant advances in technology have increased the potential for Jamaica
to successfully exploit the information technology revolution and become a
global leader in Information Communication Technology (ICT).
- Jamaica has several natural advantages including its proximity to the US
market, language, relatively low labour costs, and the entire country has
an advanced digital telecommunications infrastructure.
- Revenues from e-commerce are growing at an accelerated pace and the ICT
sector remains the fastest growing sector in the world.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR ICT
- Communications must play a critical role in promoting economic, social,
scientific, educational and cultural progress as well as a better understanding
among Jamaicans.
- In the globalised economy, information technology and communications media
have a vital role in educational advancement and in promoting economic and
social development.
- To effectively take advantage of the opportunities offered by ICT, Jamaica
must put in place a cost-effective and technologically-advanced human resources
and regulatory infrastructure.
ICT EXPANSION PLAN
1. Establish an Information Technology Authority reporting directly
to the relevant Minister to plan and co-ordinate the development of the ICT
industry in Jamaica within the public sector and to facilitate linkages with
the private sector.
2. Conduct a comprehensive survey of the current status of ICT in the
public and private sectors.
3. Create an Information Technology Officer (CIO) within each Ministry
and other select government entities.
4. Conduct a comprehensive new legislation and legislative overhaul
initiative to ensure that adequate and appropriate legislation exists covering
areas such as digital signatures, privacy, protection of intellectual property.
5. Actively work toward establishing a national public IT network on
a single standard which is competitively priced, utilises multiple sources,
and has adequate penetration into the education system.
6. Attract joint ventures to build more information technology (IT)
digiports to develop Jamaica as a leading IT operation.
7. Encourage the installation of broadband, high-speed Internet and
wireless technology to attract a wide range of IT investments.
8. Promote wireless Internet technology to enable computer access to
reach schools and rural homes institution as required.
9. Reorganise and rationalise the Creative Production and Training Centre
(CPTC) to produce programmes for a public broadcasting service.
10. Promote broader reach of television broadcasting to reach the wider
population.
11. Incorporate the Radio and Telegraph Control Act into the Telecommunications
Act as part of the comprehensive regulatory framework.
12. Integrate the Spectrum Management Authority into the OUR with full
responsibility for all spectrum and related matters.
13. Remove from the direction or control of the Minister those areas
which now fall under his jurisdiction and which are regulatory in nature and
not policy driven.
14. Expand the authority of the Fair Trading Commission (FTC) to have
jurisdiction over the Telecommunications Act.
15. Institute the International Computer Driving Licence Programme ('ICDL')
through HEART to promote and encourage computer literacy for the majority of
Jamaicans and raise the level of IT familiarity in Jamaica.
