The Hon Minister for Information, Science, Telecommunications and Technology, Kelver Darroux on Tuesday, April 19th challenged participants of a National Broadband Consultation to put the policies that Government has implemented into action.
The Ministry of Information, Science, Telecommunications and Technology in collaboration with the International Telecommunications Union, (ITU), and the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization, (CTO), organized a national consultation to develop a broadband strategy for Dominica.
The target audience for the consultation were Government Ministries, Telecom Operators, ICT service providers, the private sector, non-Government agencies, Academia and Civil Society.
The four day discussion was held under the theme, “Key to ICT and sustainable development.”
The Information Minister stated that broadband is critical for policy makers because of its importance to the socio-economic development of the country.
“From a policy perspective broadband should not be viewed simply as a certain speed of functionality but as an enabling ICT platform that can potentially influence the entire economy and change the lives of citizens and the country for better.”
The Government of Dominica has already instituted a number of E-Government services and initiatives such as the ASYCUDA network, E-Tax Filing, Government Web Portals and the Drivers and Automobile Information System.
The minister said Government is looking forward to the day when there will be paperless offices in the public service to enhance efficiency and innovation. He encouraged stakeholders to take all the necessary actions to harness the potential of ICT.
“Make ICT and high speed broadband universally available at affordable cost for all, ensure that ICT and broadband are embedded in our national goals and targets to ensure sustainable solutions, create an enabling regulatory environment for the broadband era that accelerates removal of barriers to market entry for ICT optic and provide consumer incentives and harness government enabling environment to drive, demand and stimulate private sector innovation and investments.”
The consultation is being sponsored by local platinum sponsor Flow and C&W business with gold sponsorship from the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, NTRC.