An Initiative of the Ministry of Information Broadca sting & Te leco mm uni catio ns The Government of Antigua & Barbuda .
leT Solutions For Antigua & Barbuda's Development
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Government of Antigua and Barbudo Office of the Prime Minister
he Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and Telecommunications (MIBT), is leading my Governmenrs charge to bring about a revolution in our twin island natian through the use of Information Communications Technologies (ICTs) , The MIBT, through its three main divisions of Information, Broadcasting and Telecommunications, is playing an important role in transforming the way we live, communicate and do business as a people , Of particular importance in this context, is the need to increase knowledge of the value, access to and the use of ICTs in Antigua and Barbuda, My Government is committed to the development of a coherent response to the rapid development of e-government initiatives to provide the population with Han. W Baldwin Spencer Prrm e Minister
easier access to government information and services and to generally increase the interactions between government and its c itizens, My government is also committed to taking steps to ensure that the integration and
adaptation of state of the art ICTs in all spheres of our daily lives - in education, health, production, commerce, services , governance systems, law enforcement, entertainment and social interactions, takes place, These are some of the reasons why my Government is fully supportive of the decision by Senator the Honourable Dr. Edmond Mansoor to engage the public in a variety of activities such as the ICT FEST 2005 event. I am pleased to learn that the event is focused on providing 'ICT Solutions for Antigua and Barbuda's Developmenr through interactive exhibits as well as informative seminars, I invite ICT stakeholders and the public in general to fully support ICT FEST 2005,
CT FEST 2005 is part of an am bitious programme launched by the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and Telecommunications to reduce the digital divide by beginning to p rovide ordinary citizens with information about and access to Information Com m unication Technology (ICT) at the community level. The le T FEST, with a theme of "leT Solutions for Antigua and Barbudo's
Development' , is a tirn e ly reminder that ICT solutions are integral components of national development, The Govemme nf of Antigua and Barbuda lIy accepts that the b uilding of a new econom y IS based on a greater degree of information, knowledge ha ndling and exchange than ever before, Sen, Han Dr, EdmondA. Mansoor
T e United Progressive Party Government of Prime Minister Honourable Baldwin
Minister of Slate Informalion, Spencer is acc ording a high priority both to the development of traditional media Broadcasting & Teiecommunicaltons
like radio and N and to the putting in place of a modern ICT infrastructure, which is widely accessible, The Government of Antigua and Barbuda has advanced the process of building our national technological capability by promoting Antigua and Barbuda as a Regional Centre of Information Communication Technology Excellence ,
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Information Communi ation
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OVEr:VEVV The Govemmenl 01 Antigua ond Barbuda maintains a policy which declares that a primary objective is 10 'Build on Information - Enabled, Globally ::::annp.cied, and Knowledge -Based Society.' This a;m can be meT sp cifically through th use of technological tools
PU,"<POSF The Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and Telecommunications is taking a two-way app roach 0 the task by strengthening leT Education and Training initiatives, a s well as by p roviding Incentives for the expanSion of111e leT Products and Services Industry,
PRODUCTS & SERVICES The Free Trade & Processing Zone [FTPZ) has provided unique opportunities for building leTcapac ity in Antig ua and Barbuda The m ost significant is 1 ~\e state足 o f the art IT training centre, the Antigua and Barb do Interna tional Institute of Technology (ABIIT), Of si m ila r relevance is the Schools Computerization Projec t which is valued at EC$25 million,
This projec t initiated ICT training In our
secondary schools by providing 20-unit com p uter labs fo r all 14 private and public secondary sc hools,
DIRECTORY OPEN IT - The Organization of Professional entrep reneurs in Information Technology was recently started in Antigua and Barbuda, and it will provide support for ICTdevelopment through certain initiatives. These initiatives include the compilation of an ICT professional's database, training/technica l assistance for business entrepreneurs, and making linkages with other technically-minded
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E=XPERIENCE Excellent opportunities exist for development in ICT in Antigua a nd Barbuda. These opportunities inc lude: E-government services, E-business, ICT Education
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a nd Training, ICT goods and services, Software Development, National ICT e -Ilteracy and National Internet Connectivity.
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e a part of ICTFE T 005
l iS my p leasure to Invite you to partic ipate In the first annuallCTFE STwhic h will b e
held this year at the Multi-purpose Centre
at Perry Bay September 14- 15 2005
under the theme "ICT solutions for Antigua and Barbudo's Development" . The event p romises to be on exciting one which will feature at least 20 tec hnology c ompanies In Antigua and Barbudo .
Regional and Inte rnational exhibito rs/
seminar presenters are a lso expected to partiCipate . If you o re a student, on enthusiast, a business person, a public or p riva te sector employee or you would just like to find Ol l!' m o re abou l how leT solutions will make your work more productive, you c annot afford to miss out on this interactive experience. In c losing, I wish to c o mmend the lViinister Of Information, Broadcasting and Telec ommunic ations for lead ing the chorge in this exc iting initiative as well as the
Anne Jonas Executive Sec retor; to the Educ ation J'vlinister Chairperson, ICTFEST Working Comm ittee
members of the ICTFEST Working Group for their hard work in making this event possible. Looking forward to seeing you at !CTFEST 2005!
he quantum leaps in tr18 tec hnOlogical revolution can m ake It possible to amalgamate local knowledge with informatiorl held in rem ote databases and Inro rmatlon re p ositories, transcending hierarchies, classes and cultures - to b ring about a greater understanding of the cond itions that
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approa ch. We have a p owerful tool to transform the existing societal fra mework into a mOre just and eq uitable one, and with this In m ind the Initiative brought forward by the Minister of Intormation, Broadcasting alld Telec om munications to have a n ICTFEST is truly a positive start. In the developed countries, Information and Com munic ation Technologies have been the d rivers of the knowledge society. They are p rovi ding new and faster ways for real - time com munication, and new ways to do b usiness and create livelihood opportunities.
Jacquis Browne Com m unic ations Officer Ministry o f Education Public Relations Officer ICTFEST Working Committee
Antigua and Barbuda is not being left behind as this technology is putting more and more information into the public domain leading to a re- a rra ngem ent of societal forces and governance structures and promoting effic iency, transparency and accountability. A greater penetration of ICT is therefore imperative for us as a developing notion to forge our way ahead towards greate r knowledge societies. With this in mind I toke the opportunity to invite persons to be a part of ICTFEST
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September 14-15 2005 at the Multi-purpose Centre, Perry Bay.
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Oppo uni ies or I yes ment in leTs in Antigu an Bar u "Th e Government of Antigua and Barbudo is promoting a set of policies that will upgrade the Intel/ectual Capitol of the Nation. Antigua and Barbudo is now rising to First Worid Standards with the building of the Knowledge Society and an Intelligent Notion. Antigua and Ba rbudo has b ec ome a Regional Centre of Information Technology Excellence"
e Government of Antigua and Barbuda maintains a poi icy which declares that a primary objec tive is to 'Build an Informatlo n足 Enabled, Globally-Connected , and Knowledge足 Based Society. ' This aim can b e met specifically through the use of tec hnolog ic al tools. The Governm ent understands that the task of creating a sound ICT infrastructure cannot be done alone, and that this undertaking should be attempted through Government-Private Sector participation and investment. In this respect, the Government, through the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and Telecommunications, is taking a two-way approach to the task by strengthening ICT education and training initiatives, as well as by providing Incentives for the expansion of the ICT Products and Services Industry. The journey on the rood to revolutionizing Antigua and Barbuda through ICT m ay be summed up as fo llows: Honourable Dr Edmond A M ansoor Minister 01 State, Information. Broadcasting and Telecommunications
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1. The government-run Information Technology (IT) Centre falls under the purview of the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and Telecommunications. It has been set up to serve as the engine of e足 Government development in Antigua and Barbuda . The IT Centre has tremendo us capacity for expansion , It is presently being restructured to navigate the transformation of the public sector through technology. In addition to its extensive work in bringing the Government Office Complex and other key governm ent offices online at high speeds, the IT Centre maintains a very high quality Government info rm ation website at www antlguabarbuda aov.ag, as well as a growing government e-mail service. The ICT hardware provisioning deportment of Government was recently incorporated into the IT Centre to facilitate a m o re coordinated approach to sector operations. In order to provide improved and conSistent operational guidelines, the National Information Technology and the ICT in Education policy documents are being reviewed. In the meantime, technical officers and consultants in the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and Telecommunicatio ns are working feverishly to implement initiatives designed to inc rease the use o f ICTs in the public sector. 2. The Free Trade & Processing Zone (FTPZ) has provided unique opportunities fo r building ICTcapacity in Antigua and Barbuda . The most significant is the state-of-the art IT training centre, the Antigua and Barbuda International Institute of Technology (ABIIT). This institute presently provides students with the training needed to attain associate degrees in a range of business and technology areas. ABIIT has the capacity to provide training for up to 1000 students. ABIIT has developed collaborative relationships with reputable institutions such as Pace University, Skidmore College and Monroe College, which are all located in the United States of America. The United Progressive Party Governmenrs tertiary education plan has designated the year 2007 as the date for its public tertiary Institutions to begin granting full degrees at the bachelor's level . Of similar relevan ce is the Schools Computerization Project. This undertaking has initiated ICT training in Antigua and Barbudo's secondary schools by providing 20-unit com p uter labs for all fourteen private and public secondary schools Comp uters were a lso p rovid ed for school a dministratio n offices. The projeCT has since been xpanded a nd is now susta ined by the Ministry of Education. This venture has resuited in a
significant increase in the number of ICT literate students. In addition, computer literacy is now
a compulsory course at the Antigua State COllege, an advanced level Institution from which
hundreds of students graduate annually. The Government's commitment to providing ICT trained
personnel has been further realized by the identification of the sector as a priority area for granting
academ ic schola rships for nationals.
3. Ma nagement Information Systems will be introduced shortly into the public sector beginning
with the Education Managemer1t Information Systems (EMlS ). The EMIS is an initiative of the Caribbean
Deve lo pment Bank and The Government of Antigua and Barbuda Basic Education ProJect. The initiative will
see the introduction of high-speed wireless internet in all educational institutions by December 2006 with the
EMiS following shortly thereafter. This project will facilitate an improved data management system and an
improved education delivery structure. The end result will be a highly qualified cadre of ICT students.
4. On a cultural development level, it should be noted that the European Union-supported Caribbean
Cultural Network project has facilitated the development of several web sites, to provide a global avenue for
marketing cultural products and services .
To encourage a wider range of investment, the telecommunications sector will be fully liberalized .
The impending removal of monopoly agreements will increase competition among telecommunications
service providers and reduce telecommunications costs significantly.
ICT Non-Governmental Organization support will be significantly increased through entities such as the
Organization of Professional Entrepreneurs in Information Technology (OPEN IT) . OPEN IT was recently started in
Antigua and Barbuda and will provide support for ICT development through certain initiatives. These initiatives
include the compilation of an ICT professional's database, training and technical assistance for business
entrepreneurs and the creation of linkages with other individuals across the globe.
7. ICT goods and services in Antigua and Barbuda are cutting edge, and the available options are
increasing. These include:
Cellular/ Mobile Services including features such as roaming, GPRS and internet
connectivity
High Speed Internet Services through Tl and Broadband Wireless Connections
Video and Teleconferencing facilities .
The Government is presently considering the granting of licenses for the landing of two submarine fibre optic cables, These will significantly enhance the existing fibre optic network in Antigua and Barbudo. It is anticipated that access to broadband wireless will be greatly enhanced, and that the cost of broadband access will decrease by as much as 50% in some sectors. ~ PPORTU JlTlF~
Excellent opportunities exist for development in ICT in Antigua and Barbuda . These opportunities include:
1. E-government Services 2. E-business 3. ICT Education and Training
4, ICT Goods and Services
5. Software Development 6. NationallCT e-literacy 7. National Internet Connectivity
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~PI~f-RIA FeR I~J'/E"T EI IT OFH ATE A bU:INE~S The Government of Antigua and Barbuda is pro-investment and is inviting interested parties to submit queries and investment proposals in the Information Communications and Technology Sector to the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and Telecommunications at the address shown.
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1 ~c:.ENTIVb
PP lVIUED BY GOVEPNMENI
1) Exempflon from corporate income tax for up to 10 years option for renewal
ith a
2) Waiver of land transfer taxes on lands purchased 10 construct IT Centres, Coli Centres and IT Parks 3) Approval o f work permits for non-citizens possessing expertise and skills not available On island 4) An approved enterprise may import into Antigua and Barbuda trAe of customs duiy : a) Electronic and elec tric al equipment and lools fixtures and fittings, plant m achinery, utility and transport ehic les, office equipment and appliances b) Spare ports on electronic equipment and tools. spare parts on plant and plant related machinery c) Any othe item imported for use In the approved enterprise that cannot b e produced loc ally For further information, please contact The Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and Telecommunications Ofrice of the Prime Minister Queen Elizabeth Highway St. John's, Antigua Telephone Local 562-3860 Internahonal 268-46 -0773 Email mlbt@antlgua .gov.ag
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le T FEST Interactive Forum (left to right) Dr Patrick Lay - Director of IT Centre, Han. Baldwin Spencer - Prime Minister, Senator Han. Dr Edmond Mansoor - Minister of State, Information , Broadcasting and Telecommunicatio ns, Delreo Newman - Telecommunications Consultant, Ministry of Information. Broadcasting and Telecommunications.
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ICTFEST Working Committee Members
Lett to Right (Bock Row) o elreo Newman Or, Edmond A Mansoor, Hollie Seboslian Eusl c e Hill [Front Row) Anne Jonas, Or. Patrick Loy Eustace Phillip, Jacquis Browne, Arlene We ste
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The New Telecommunications Division- Articulating a New Perspective h8re has been a globol paradigm st'uft In Governments' approach to the i(!lecornmunlcotions ind.Jstry, and in certain reSpB~t~ f\ntiguc anrj Barbuda iii only now playing "c olr-r; p. " TP,le:...ornmunicolions wos once considered a n)1 Jro: monopoly. n faci, even the USA that 110S becn '. ne of t:te ieading rounlries in ot::v(:"ping a 路:::or!rJeliIIVe te.e mrnunications ~路:::~;nr ')r路" e (r,t-ill 1':'0 feleeni Imunicatlons from t ,:.>Ir mOilop0iy laws. I - )73 , Antigua and Barbuda. not being ou o. sy;)C with the rest ) f the world 01 that time, :0,(; Itl路.)ught of telocommunications as a natural rr0nopolv and creottold lhe Antigun Public U ti llti e~ A...lthoniy. rhe combinotiorl of tll0se monopolies unde. "t)ne roof' gave th Government economies ~f ~,:-:JIG ',nd sc()~)e . For example. Ii did no have Tdecommunicalion /.J.vISlon. MI Istr), of infOlm<Jlion. r '8019 3 diff"'r~nt hn'Jncial dl.llsinns b ut One to Broadcostlng ond Telec:nl'1(Y1UC1ic(Jtions i-I JneJ 8' t utllitv business :r,E rr nve 0 'elec')mm.Jn' :athns from being a natural monopoly to one th'-1t needed r~ompetition if the sector 'llC!, I::, (; ~ J oy gr N. in carlC' W!Tnout warning and a lm ost overnighl. In fact, utility eronornists and big businesses d; fered on 1.01 WDS the correct economic and business path. When cQI :'petltion in the telecummunicatlons sec or began to prove successful. it was thought app lic a ble only to d eveloped countries. Then the camp titive model began to prove successful in less developed countries, Today, telecomm unications is considered the "engine of ec onomic ro wth. " Antigua and Barbudo has moved from being the first c o untry in the reg ion to introduce competitio n into its domestic market Ie by opening up the c e llular market. However, it hos now bee II e among the ost to rntroduce a new legal a nd regulatory fro mework to gove rn the sector. Pie upp GoVelnm8nt rec ognizes the c ritically Imp ortant role that the development of the telecommunications o..:ctor ill pia). in tne ecollomic , socia l and politica l development of the country, a nd It has c reated a new portfolio Mln'stry heoded by Senator the Honourable Dr. Edmond Mansoor in the Office of the Prime Ministe r. In this. inistry. the Telecommunications Division will seek to address the anomalies that presently exist in the sector . As one of its fi rst c harges, the Ilew Telecommunications Division is seeking to articulate a new policy that wi ll be all encompassing and whic h will Inc lude Info rmation and Communicatio n Technolog ies . This unit will also be respo nsible fo r revamping the present legal framework to one in which there will be an open te lecom m unic ations marke that will benefit the people of Antigua and Barbuda. It will also help c reate an independent regu lator. The vision for the new Telecommunicatio ns DiviSion is one that wi ll keep trle Government apprised of new developm e nts in the sector. It is a lso expected that this division will help form the foundation into which Antig ua and BarbUda will "leap frog" its counterpa rts into being the center for regional excellence and become one of the "knowledge based" societies.
Minister of sote with responsib ility for Inform ation. Broadcasting and Te/ecommunlcotions. Senotor Honourable Dr. Edmond A. Mansoor listens to Da lma Hili. CEO of CTV/CNS Looking on is William Henry. Assistant Telecommunications Officer
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Government Intellectual Property & Commerce Office Email: abipco@antigua.gov.ag ABS Radio Email: absradio@antigua.gov.ag Antigua Barbuda Sports Tourism Alliance Email: abstainfo@antigua.gov.ag ABS Television Email: abstv@antigua.gov.ag Chemistry DiviSion Ministry of Agriculture
a
& Bar - Websif
da at a Gla ce
s - ail
Substance Abuse and Prevention
Lands Division Ministry of Agriculture
Email: druginfo@antigua.gov.ag
Email: lands.div@antigua.gov.ag
Economic Policy Unit
Registrar Lands Division
Email: econpolicy@antigua.gov.ag
Email: landregislry@antigua.gov.ag
Environment DiviSion
Law Library
Email: environment@antigua.goY.ag
Email: lawlibrary@antigua.gov.ag
Establishment Division
Legal Aid
Email: estabdep@antigua.gov.ag
Email: legalald@antigua.gov.ag
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Chief Medical Officer
Email: foreignaffairs@antigua.gov.ag
Email: medicaloh@antigua.gov.ag
Gender Affairs (Ministry of Health)
Ministry of Agriculture
Email: gender@antigua.goY.ag
Email: minagri@antiguagov.ag
Email: agrichemistry@antigua.gov.ag
National Office of Disaster Services Email: nods@antigua.gov.ag
Archives Division Email: archives@antigua.gov.ag
National School Meals Program Email: nsmp@antiguagov.ag
Education Consultations Email: askedu@antigua.gov.ag
Email: parliament@antigua.gov.ag
Audit Department Email: audit@antigua.gov.ag Barbuda Council Email: barbuda.council@antigua.gov.ag Chief Health Inspector-CBH Email: cbh.chi@antigua.gov.ag
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Bureau of Standards Email: codex@antigua.gov.ag Development Control Authority Email: devconlrol@antigua.gov.ag Department of Public Prosecution Email: dpp@antigua.gov.ag
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Parliament
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Green Castle Agricultural Station Email: greencastle@antlgua.gov.ag
Prime Minister's Office Email: pmo@antigua.gov.ag
Health Information Unit Email: healthinfo@antigua.gov.ag
Postmaster General Office Email:postmaster@antigua.gov.ag
Hospitality & Training Unit Email: hospitality@antigua.gov.ag
Public Service Transform Unit Email: pstu@antigua.gov.ag
Hospitality Unit of Tourism Email: hospitality.unit@antigua.gov.ag
St. John's Public Library Email: publib@antigua.gov.ag
!:stablishment
Public Service Commission
Email: hrmestab@antigua.gov.ag
Email: pubsercom@antigua.gov.ag
Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and
Officer of the Registrar of Insurance
Telecommunications
Email: registrarins@antigua.gov.ag
Email: mibt@antigua.gov.ag
Rehabilitation Center for Disabilities
Antigua Commercial Bank
Fall: (268)
Email: rehabcenter@antigua.gov.ag
St. Mary's & Thames Streets
462-1831
st. John's, Antigua
Email: customer.
Telecommunications Division
Tel: (268) 481-4200
serCice@gbc.ag
Email: telecom@antigua.gov.ag
Fax: (268) 481-4229
Website: www.
Email: acb@candw.ag
globalbank.ag
Tenders Board
Website: www.acbonline.com
Email: tendersboard@antigua.gov.ag Antigua Overseas Bank Ltd.
Restaurants
Urban Development & Renewal
High Street, St. John's
Bay House Restaurant
Email: urbandev@antigua.gov.ag
P.O. Box 1679, Antigua
Email: twhotel@candw.ag
Tel: (268) 480-2700/01/03 Fax: (268) 480-2750
Big Banana
Hotel"
Email: aob@candw.ag
Website: www.bigbanana-antigua .
Admirals Inn
Website: www.abifinancial.com
com
Website: www.admiralsantigua.com Bank of Antigua Ltd.
Home Restaurant
Anchorage Inn
1000 Airport Blvd. Coolidge, SL John's
Website: www.thehomerestaurantcom
Website: www.anchorageinnantigua.com
P.O. Box 315, Antigua Tel: (268) 480-5300
Le Bistro French Restaurant
Blue Waters
Fax: (268) 480-5433
Email: pgbistro@candw.ag
Website: www.bluewaters.net
Email: bankant@candw.ag Website: www.boa.com
Curtain Bluff Hotel WebSite: wwwcurtainbluff.com
Sticky Wicket Restaurant and Bar Website: www.thestickywicket.com
Bank of Nova Scotia High Street, St. John's
The Beach
Galleon Beach
P.O. Box 342, Antigua
Website: www.bigbanana-antigua.com
Website: www.galleonbeach.com
Tel: (268) 480-1500 Fax: (268)480-1554
Jolly Beach Resort
Website: www.bns.antigua@sctoiabank.com
WebSite: www.jollybeachresort.com Tradewinds Hotel Website: www.antiguatradewindshotel.com
RBTT Bank Ltd.
45 High Street, 5t. John's P.O. Box 1324, Antigua Tel: (268) 462-4217
Fax: (268) 462-5040 Antigua & Barbuda Development Bank
Website: www.rbtt.com
27 S1. Mary's Street, St John's P.O. Box 1279 Antigua
First Caribbean International Bank
Tel: (268) 462-0838
High & Market Streets
Fax: (268) 462-0389
St John's
Email: abdb@candw.ag
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P.O. Box 255, Antigua Tel: (268) 480-5000
Antigua Barbuda Investment Bank Ltd.
Fax: (268) 462-4910
Redcliffe, St. John's
Website: www.firstcarribeank.com
P.O. Box 1679 Antigua Tel: (268) 480-2700/01102
Global Bank of Commerce
Fax: (268) 480-2750
Friars Hill Road
Email: aob@candw.ag
SI. John's, Antigua
Website: www.abifinancial.com
Tel: (268) 480-2240
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Revolutionizing IT & ICT here has not been a m ore timely action taken In the se c tors of Inform ation, Broadc asting a nd Telecom m unications than the merger o f Information and Communica tion Te c hnolog ies (ICT) with Telecomm unications, Th is is a new worl d order of convergenc e whic h is expected to revolutionize the economic growth of developing countries, The new Telecommunications Division under the watc h of the Honourable Minister, Dr Edmond Mansoor has taken on the challenge of expanding the reach of and exposure to ICT a nd Broadband Telecommunications fac ilities throughout the length and breadth of Antigua and Ba rbuda, This ICT-Fest is the first in an ongoing effort to achieving this goal. There is indeed a gap ["digital divide") in the Eustace Phillip. Telecommunic a tions Officer, Ministry of access to information resources in the City and Information. Broadcasting and Telecommunications its surrounding areas and the rural areas of our country, It is this digital divide in ICT that. in the broader context, expresses the difference in fac ilities for people to communicate, relative to the ir living standard and their level of education, and is therefore used by som e researchers as an indicator of a country's economic and soc ial situation, One may ask how can communications tool s, like the Internet and te lephone contribute to the local development of our comm unities, The answer is simple, The more information and the ease with which this information is made accessible to the wider c ross section of the population, the easier it is for the communities to develop themselves , It is for this reason that our Government is embarking on a major program of extending ICT infrastructure and ICT accessibility into the rural a reas at affordable rates ,
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~ Paula Lee of Cable and Wireless presents Anne Jonas, Chairperson of the ICT FEST Working Committee with a sponsorship cheque
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Profes ional Organizatio . of ntrepreneurs and Intelligent Technology of nti ua & B rbud (OPE I AS) by Ethan James, President he Island-notion of Antigua
world , give our c hildre n the best life
in need of our seNices and ICT
and Barbudo find s itself in
can offer, learn m o re , understand
products.
a world where technology
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and rapid Information exchange
are never-ending pursuits Well. I'm
a globa l presence to reach all who
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desire our goods and seNices
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everyday
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The swift distribution of personal
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Inform ation
Age
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• Launch aggressive marketing
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ushered in a m eans to facilitate
initiatives to get the word ou to the
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coined to reflect this phenomenon.
engine of growth and development
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It's called The Information Age, and
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that was introduced on the island
will
Martinique, and has spread
of
give
meetings
These conventions
customers
and
other
stakeholders a chance to meet with
changes.
throughout the Caribbean. OPEN IT
professionals, entrepreneurs
Communication expenses for a
of Antigua and Barbuda (OPENITAB)
policy-makers on-island,
small island-notion such as Antigua
follows the gUiding principles of the
forming stronger relationships for
and
original organization, with
the ultimate good of conducting
humanity,
everything
Barbuda
have
dropped
some
enormously. People are now in
very clear objectives in mind with
a lmost instantaneous contact via
regards to what we aim to do for
mobile phones. Access to world
Antiguans and Barbudans.
markets and people of distant
The
purpose
lands are now iust a mouse-click
to
away. Funds are now electronically
development
zapped
across
the
globe
facilitate
of
and
monitor
and
more business. • Produce a quarterly newsletter to
OPENITAB
and
thereby
help
keep
our
members,
is
customers, fellOW citizens and other
the
stakeholders informed of events,
application
innovation,
and
our
dynamiC
portfolio of seNices.
in
of ICT in Antigua and Barbuda,
seconds" or even less time . I can
and foster an atmosphere that
continue.
provides for the development of
of Antigua
Some things remain constant, however, They are the intelligence, imagination, creativity and ambition amongst and within us as a people of this great notion Indeed, the desire for
legal,
the organization that represents
ethical and value-added
entrepreneurial
endeavors
Barbuda. It is
convergence of policy and business
the nation and abroad, In so doing,
development for Antiguans and
OPENITAB aims to:
Barbudans. It is a membership
o o
N
I
• Establish a national database of
driven body that pledges to make its
IT professionals and entrepreneurs of
best, reasonable efforts to leverage
C/)
Antigua and Barbuda in order that
ICT for the creation of wealth for
our nation's talents are centralized
the people of our country.
U.I
a more fulfilling and enriched life
for
(locally and abroad ) that m ay be
s e the:
and
OPENIT
within
thrives in us. The d sire
TO
So, look for signs of
easy
access
to
customers
-
-
he Backbone of ICT
. .. 0 perspective
o o N
....en
The 21st Century is upon us, the age of the proverbial, "Stuff that d reom s are m ade o r' . The use of gadgets that only had usage reserved for the likes of Jam es Bond a nd other secret Governm ent agents; poc ket communicators, phones without lines, cars with built-in computers. television sets in the walls, phone calls via the N monitors, instant video conferenc es. I understand if your mind just wandered to Star Trek while proc essing that reality. The future is here and we cannot deny it. But let's get back to looking at our reality amidst all this technology. What are the benefits of having access to this technology, the benefits to the human being, and to the society or nation? How valuable is it to the everyday citizen to be a part of this high technological environmenn How a c cessible is it for them to be in that environment? How are our leaders, whose success is m easured in their ability to m anage a p rosperous nation , eva luating the Information Technology Environment and its effec t on assisting In the efficient progression of the soc iety and its citizens? A friend said to me one day; "There is no such thing as technology; there is only tec hnique", in a bid to demonstrate the superiority of man overanymachine. The perspective sounded plausible enough that it allowed me to begin to think and to investigate whether one entity has to comp letely remove the other or do they have the ability to co足 exist? What I discovered is that there was already a marriage of Techno logy and Tec hnique; it was simply disguised under the names
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by Cool Net Ltd .
Training and Support. and its presence In any teChnOlogical environment will ensure suc c ess, but on the other hand fa ilure If it's not present. This question then arises c onceming our relationship with Information & Comm unication Technology; "Have we achieved that
given a c c ess to these toais. What are these tools that are so necessary in this environment? These tools a re simply the Computer and the Internet. The Co mpurer provides the acc ess to a tool that gives the user c ontrol over the digital environment ia the program s that are c re a ted a exec ute any given function. This may CYBER CAFE BUSI N ESS CUtTE R '>.L"""'; IN ANo G-ET' KO,.,""1f/E.CTED, sound technical, b ut if s rea lly sim ple to und erstand. Think of a c arpenter HIS main tools are the sow and the hamm er Whether It is m anual or electric, he needs the tools to perform necessary functions. The com p uter becom es the c arpenter's ham mer, nd the program s that are written to union of Training a nd Sup port whic h will perform spec ific functions are the nails guarantee our p rosperity in using ICT to and screws. our fUllest potential or ore we unwed, l h Internet a c cessed via a program still Im m a ture in our respo si illties, not on the co puter a llows for Increased being ab le to conclude what we want m ovem nt of Information across great from our rela tionship with ICT? distances evolVing foster and faster Our mission here a t Kool Ne Ltd is to m et hods of ac hieving this p ro cess ensure fidelity in the r lationship between Doesn't sound like m uch, hut, ! Well training and support by assisting the Ima gine playing chess with someone in c itizenry in being a part of this growing China in real time, or having a relative and evolving marriage. Gone are the In a country Which had just undergone days when access to inform ation that som e serious military attacks and being cou ld develop the p erson is expensive able to log into your comm unication and unattainable by those who exist program and speak to that relative, and within a particular sub-income bracket. if you both have cameras be able to We at KoolNet are using several of see e a ch other in real time . Instead of the most efficient and stab le tools of waiting for "hours maybe days, weeks the Information Technology workspace for a p hone call, relief could be almost to deliver high quality, user friendly, instantaneous . inexpensive, yet valuable information in Another great feature of the Internet the form of Web based training , to the that KoolNet uses to a ssist the Citizenry individual who has access to the tools of in its personal development is the global the trade. Also, if that person does not application o f the Internet. You are able have access to the tools, we have gone to access your training. ahead and c reated an institution where If at this time you were a sking how the individual for a minimal fee may be does all this tie into that marriage of
technology and technique, and how is all this lechnology going to benefi1 you? Firsl ask yourself: How viable am I Irl this changing world economy? If
because of lack of technique or training to develop this technique is a waste of time and the money The principals of Kool Net are of
my employer merged with a notller company and I was mode redundant, what would my position be? What would my skills be? What would I put on my resume? That I worked as a Customer Service Agent with an airline for I 5 years? We hear of the a vent of CSME where the ability to freely move a nd perform your skill within the Caribbea n area is becoming a reality. How do you measure up to other Ca rib bean nations in the diversification of skills among their c itizenry? When the job is posted and it calls fo r a particular skill and you are destitute and without skills you are Without opportunity. If you are skilled, you have the bargaining power to change the c ircumstanc e of your position . Our employers and business owners too must share some of the concern of not seekin g to empower their employees with this marriage. A trained workforce is and efficient and productive workforce. A produciive workforce translates into higher yield and greater profits and sustainability. In Antigua we have achieved a high level of access to some of the brea kthrough technologies that exist. We have access to broadband, an emerging techno logy whic h is growing in its support applicatio ns such as Internet Telephony, and Web based Training. Hoving access to the technology and not being able to exploit its full potential
the view that to be truly serious about Information and CommunicaTIons Technology. is to be serio us about the marriage of Tec hnology and Technique. To be truly serious about human and social development, is to be serious about delivering the Training and providing the Suppo r1 that estab lishes and maintains the Industry. This translates into Government agencies setting notional pnorities with a TOCUS o n the development of ICT a nd Its support and spin-off ven/ures. Another way that the government agencies m ay assist is by producing more publiC service announcements and interviews with a focus on sensitizing the public as to the importance of ICT, g iving them a
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picture of how it can benefit them, while demonstrating a willingness to assist in that development. SOCial Groups, Parents and Guardians too have a responsibility to the individuals and c hildren they represent to ensure that the skiil level of every individual, every c hild they manage or supervise is developed to the fullest potential. Come into the office of Kool Net Ltd # 31 1 Heritage Quay and explore the range
of training courses we have available how see and you are able to motivate and mobilize your people Into achieving their potential and becoming viable enough to begin to fulfil l trlelr d reams. Small Island Developing State sucn as ours hove tne opportunity 10 ben<;1f1t lrom our smallness In t~1e p laYing field of ICT With proper managemen , prioritizing of enterprise, ond distribution of developmental resources, we are able to dev lop more people per capita and maintain a sound and sustainable platform of economiC g! owll~ than the larger and more metropolitan countries. This hig h level of s ills development will now give us the ability through training, and the growing need for trainers or educators who are profic ient in their fields, to export our ski lls resource to other areas of need, alleviating the "Saturation" phenomena that m ig ht be c reated by the CSME To achieve sustainable growth a nd p rogressive human resource development, we must move towards marrying Techno logy and Tec hnique, Training and Sup po rt. Why fight over competing in an environment whic h disallows us any meaningful Victory, when we could develop ou r human resource capital that we may complement that very environment and ensure placement fo r all o ur c itizens in this Global World. Think about it.
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Information Technology Careers Computer Programmers & Software Engineers Computer software engineers work to design and develop applications programs o r systems software used o n mainframes, minicomputers, personal computers, and other compute r tec hnologies. Using their skills and knowledge o f computer science, mathematics, and engineering , they are responsible for designing, developing, and testing the software they create. While software engineers must be good programmers, they typically are more concerned with creating algorithms and solving programming problems than actually writing code .
Systems Administrators & Customer Support Representatives With com puters , peripherals, and networks being used by a n inc reasingly larger number o f people, the demand for spec ialists who can solve users' computer problems and keep systems running properly has risen as well . Compute r suppo rt specialists and help desk tec hnic ians assist individual users by providing tec hnical support and resolving hardware and software difficulties. Systems and network administrators are responsible for keeping a company's networks running smoothly, dealing with issues including connectivity, user management. and security
Help Desk Technicians Help desk technicians typically have first-level contact with end users, respond ing to e-mails and telephone calls for tec hnical assistance. They answer the questions that are not found in instruction manuals and online help, and help users resolve the e rro r messages they may see o n their computer screens.
Computer Technical Support Specialists Computer support specialists provide technical assistance, installing, mainta ining, and repairing computer ha rdware and software. This ca n be done in person, o r increasingly by using diagnostic tools that let the spec ialist access the user's computer rem otely. They may also have responsibility for training users in how to use hardware and software, and may write tra ining materials.
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New Internet Service Provider (ISP) license .being presented to CEO of Antilles Communications Inc ., Phil Roberts by Honourable Dr. Edmond A Mansoor, Minister of State, Information. Broadcasting and Telecommunications
CEO of CTVlCabie Network Services (CNS) Limited Dalma Hill accepts a new ISP license from Honourable Dr. Edmond A Mansoor. Minister of State, Information. Broadcasting and Telecommunications
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