The Ministry of Information, Broadcasting, Telecommunications, Science and Technology is committed to: Building an Intelligent Nation Promoting Computer Literacy Bridging the Digital Divide Connecting Antigua an Barbuda to the World Positioning Antigua & Barbuda as a Cutting Edge Technology Hot Spot
Published by the New Media Unit
Ministry of Information, Broadcasting, Telecommunications, Science and Technology, Sir George Walter Highway, Antigua Tel: 268-468-4610 E-mail: webteam@ab.gov.ag www.antigua.gov.ag Designed by G Productions www.gproductionsonline.com Tel: 268-786-9332 MAY, 2011
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“The strategy that we have employed is to bring technology to the doorstep of the ordinary man and woman of Antigua and Barbuda. We are firmly of the view that throughout the communities in Antigua the ordinary man, woman and child must not be left behind; in fact they must be at the forefront of this technological revolution.” Honourable Dr. Baldwin Spencer Prime Minister
“The empowerment potential of the Internet is absolutely phenomenal. It is the Internet that will convert every developing country to developed country status, and the state of Antigua and Barbuda is leading the way.”
Honourable Dr. Edmond Mansoor Minister of State Information, Broadcasting, Telecommunications, Science and Technology
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Governments in developed countries all over the world recognize that the ability of their people to continually master new technologies will have a critical impact on their future global competitiveness. For Antigua and Barbuda, an ICT revolution that is currently underway is one of the key contributors to the Nation’s drive towards a technological and knowledge - based economy. On September 30th, 2010, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, in partnership with Digicel and Antigua Computer Technology Company Limited (ACT), announced details of a new initiative which is geared at further closing the digital divide across the twin-island state by increasing access to Information Communication Technologies (ICTs). The “Technology for Communication, Education & Empowerment” programme utilizes Wi-Fi technology to bring broadband Internet into 5,000 homes across the communities of GraysGreen, Yorks and Lower Gambles, as well as to more than 5,000 Secondary School students in their classrooms. The initiative is dramatically increasing the number of households with regular access to the Internet as schools, homes and villages get connected for the first time. The programme is the newest component of the Connect Antigua and Barbuda Initiative, which is providing broadband Internet access to schools and communities across the length and breadth of Antigua and Barbuda.
Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Gender Affairs, Honourable Dr. Jacqui Quinn-Leandro and Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister, Honourable Dr. Edmond Mansoor congratulate Digicel’s John Delves on the occasion of the announcement of the programme “Technology for Communication, Education and Empowerment”.
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ICT Revolution Reaches Rural Communities Glanvilles and All Saints Secondary Schools Get Connected One aspect of “Technology for Communication, Education and Empowerment� is the erection of Community Computer Access Centres (CACs) in twelve schools, complete with ergonomic furniture, air-conditioning and security systems. Antigua Computer Technology Company Limited (ACT) equips each CAC with broadband Internet with speeds of up to 18 megabytes in each centre. The Ministry of Information, Broadcasting, Telecommunications, Science and Technology equips each facility with high-speed computers and a printer. Each centre has a white board as well as space allocated for an Information Technology Instructor. On March 9th, 2011, the first two CACs commissioned under the project were officially opened at the Glanvilles and All Saints Secondary Schools.
Students and teachers at the All Saints Secondary School, Technicians from the Ministries of Information and Education and Digicel Representatives join Prime Minister Honourable Baldwin Spencer, Minister of State Honourable Dr. Edmond Mansoor and Member of Parliament for All Saints East and St. Luke, Honourable Chester Hughes to celebrate the opening of the CAC at the All Saints Secondary School.
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IT’S ALL SMILES
(L to R) Johnny Ingle, Head of Marketing for Digicel Northern OECS, Clement Samuel, Telecommunications Officer and Attorney-at-Law, John Delves, General Manager, Digicel-OECS North, Honourable Dr. Baldwin Spencer, Prime Minister, Honourable Dr. Edmond Mansoor, Minister of State, Information, Broadcasting, Telecommunications, Science and Technology, Honourable Winston Williams, Minister of State, Education, Sports and Youth Affairs, Honourable Chester Hughes, M.P., All Saints East and St. Luke and Troy Byrne, Marketing Executive, Digicel
“No one will be left behind in this digital revolution. Every member of society will benefit. What we are seeking to do is make Antigua and Barbuda the ICT capital of the Caribbean. That is our objective, and we believe that we are on the road to doing that.” Prime Minister Honourable Dr. Baldwin Spencer Antigua & Barbuda
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The Glanvilles Secondary School, which was recently upgraded to a full secondary school, was the first school to benefit directly from the newest component of the Connect Antigua and Barbuda Initiative: “Technology for Communication, Education and Empowerment�.
The Jennings Community now boasts a state of the art CAC. Teachers and students at the Jennings Secondary School are also benefitting directly from this programme.
Minister of State in the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Honourable Elmore Charles joins his colleague Honourable Winston Williams in exploiting the tremendous benefit of the Internet at the Jennings Secondary School.
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The Super Information Highway Heads South Jennings and St. Mary’s Secondary Schools Get Connected On April 7th, 2011, the United Progressive Party (UPP) Government took the initiative to the southern side of the country, where the third and fourth centres commissioned under the project were opened at the Jennings and St Mary’s Secondary Schools respectively. Minister of Information, Broadcasting, Telecommunications, Science and Technology, Honourable Dr. Edmond Mansoor said that “the UPP Government continues to make substantial investments in equipping our young people with the skills and competencies necessary for them to meet the challenges of these times”.
Wheel chair ramps make each centre accessible to the physically challenged.
Teachers and students at the Jennings and St Mary’s Secondary Schools now have access to the outside world in an unprecedented way, as the Government continues to work towards closing the digital divide and increasing the opportunities available to them.
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Community Computer Access Centres Providing A Passport to the Super Information Highway In the first quarter of 2011, five new Community Computer Access Centres were opened: Primary Schools
Secondary Schools
Bolans
Glanvilles, All Saints
Jennings, St. Mary’s
Seven additional Centres will be commissioned in 2011: Primary Schools
Bendals, Pigotts
Secondary Schools Pares, Clare Hall, Antigua Girls’ High, Ottos Comprehensive, Seventh Day Adventist
CACs already in operation: Primary Schools
Empowerment Centres
Villa, Five Islands, Greenbay, Jennings
Lower Ottos, Urlings, All Saints
Liberta, Sea View Farm, Potters, Cobbs Cross
Gunthorpes, Yorks, Lower Gambles
Holy Trinity (Barbuda), Old Road
Newfield, National Technical Training Centre
The CAC’s are supervised by Information Technology teachers and/or Community Technology Officers (CTOs), who teach information technology at introductory, intermediate and advanced levels. Utilizing specialized software, the CTOs teach Grades 4, 5 and 6 students information technology from a special syllabus developed by the Ministry of Information.
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Students at the Swetes Primary School, soon to be upgraded to a full secondary school, are also benefitting from Government’s Digital Revolution. The Swetes CAC, located adjacent to the Swetes Clinic, provides broadband Internet access to teachers, students and nursing personnel all in one facility.
In 2011, World Telecommunication and Information Society Day was observed on May 17. The day was observed by a number of activities including the opening of a Community Computer Access Centre at the Clare Hall Secondary School as well as a special edition of GOOD MORNING ANTIGUA BARBUDA� on ABS TV and ABS Radio. The events were coordinated by (L to R): Isoke Perry, Database Administrator, Clement Samuel, Telecommunications Officer, Asha Christian, Special Projects Coordinator in the Connect Antigua & Barbuda Initiative, Wendy Pantor, Office Manager and Nasheta Richards, New Media Unit.
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Getting Teachers Connected Each of the principals in the twelve schools where the programme “Technology for Communication, Education and Empowerment” is being rolled out will receive a laptop as part of the UPP Government’s digital thrust to provision technology to the teachers. Teachers will also benefit from the CACs, as they will now be able to better plan lessons as well as establish a variety of databases. By the end of 2011, it is expected that all teachers throughout Antigua and Barbuda will be personally provisioned with cutting-edge technology.
Honourable Hilson Baptiste, Member of Parliament for St. Mary’s South, presents Myrna Isaac, the Principal of the St. Mary’s Secondary School with a laptop.
Honourable Chester Hughes, M.P. presents George Edwards, Principal of the All Saints Secondary School, with a laptop.
Former Education Minister, Bertrand Joseph presents a laptop to Ursula Willock, Deputy Principal at the Jennings Secondary School.
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Free Internet Initiative The “Technology for Communication, Education & Empowerment” programme also includes free Wi-Fi Internet for three communities- Grays Green, Lower Gambles and Yorks up to December, 2014. The joint program between Digicel and the Government of Antigua and Barbuda will provide 5000 homes and over 15,000 people with broadband Internet. Digicel has partnered with Antigua Computer Technology Company Limited (ACT) to ensure the broadband Internet is piped into these communities. The initiative will significantly increase the number of households with regular access to the Internet as homes and villages get connected for the first time. Minister of Information, Broadcasting, Telecommunications, Science and Technology, Honourable Dr. Edmond Mansoor, says this particular aspect of the programme is the most revolutionary component of the Connect Antigua and Barbuda Initiative. The testing phase of the free Internet initiative has been successful in the Yorks Community. Residents of that community are now surfing the super information highway compliments the Government of Antigua and Barbuda. The communities of Lower Gambles and Grays-Green will also benefit from free broadband Internet pending the successful completion of the testing phase in these communities.
“The importance of bringing people online is widely recognised and where access to the Internet is low, it is particularly important for countries to invest in public access. As such, we are proud to be leading the way in connecting communities and schools for the first time.” Honourable Dr. Jacqui Quinn-Leandro Minister of Education, Sports, Youth and Gender Affairs
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Public Private People’s Partnership The Government of Antigua and Barbuda understands the necessity for synergy between the public and private sector for the successful delivery of projects within the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector. Several individuals and entities have been contributing to the success of the “Technology for Communication, Education & Empowerment”. The Ministry of Information, Broadcasting, Telecommunications, Science and Technology extends its thanks to: Digicel, ACT, Consolidated Maritime Services, Ministry of Education (and Doristeen Etinoff and Clare Browne in particular), the Board of Education (and Mervyn Brown in particular), Execu-Tech Electric, Dougie’s Backhoe and Trucking Service, Special Security Services, Essential Security Services and Signs Plus.
Antigua Computer Technology’s Arif Jonas greets Honourable Dr. Edmond Mansoor at the Glanvilles Secondary School CAC. Looking on are Prime Minister, Honourable Baldwin Spencer, ACT Telecommunications Engineer, Eustace Philip, and Senior Hardware Technician in the Ministry of Information, Elmon “Smokey” Benjamin.
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Prime Minister, Honourable Dr. Baldwin Spencer, greets Jermaine Caesar of Execu-Tech Electric and Carlton Douglas of Dougie’s Trucking & Backhoe Services, two of the sub-contractors assisting with the erection and outfitting of the Centres.
Prime Minister, Honourable Dr. Baldwin Spencer, and John Delves, General Manager, Digicel – OECS North, agree that the colour of the tie matches the colour of the classroom!
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“Our focus is on connecting the remotest corners of Antigua and Barbuda to the benefits of ICTs. ICTs are also quintessentially important to meeting Antigua and Barbuda’s Millennium Development Goals”. Hon. Dr. Edmond Mansoor Minister of State Information, Broadcasting, Telecommunications, Science and Technology
Special Projects Coordinator in the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting, Telecommunications, Science and Technology, Asha Christian-Philip, assists a young student with navigating the wonders of the Internet.
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www.antigua.gov.ag
The official Government web site, www.antigua.gov.ag, serves as a major portal for up to the minute information. The site is jointly managed by the New Media Unit and the Software Engineering Team at the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting, Telecommunications, Science and Technology.
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The Community Computer Access Centres are each powered with highspeed broadband Internet from Antigua Computer Technology Co. Ltd. (ACT). Teachers and students are now fully empowered and can acquire highly competitive skills in a globally competitive environment. Web surfing e-education Distance learning Community networking and Social Media Connectivity to the World
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Students at the All Saints Secondary School are wired into today’s digital revolution, enabling them to research projects for their examinations as well as acquire important competitive job skills.
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Senate President, Honourable Hazelyn Francis, surfs the Internet using highspeed broadband Internet at the St. Mary’s Secondary School Community Computer Access Centre. Young and old have been leveraging on the power of the super information highway.
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