PLANNING FOR A KNOWLEDGE eCONOMY
As part of the Caribbean Centre of Excellence (CCoE) initiative, the CTU secretariat submitted a draft
Information and Communication Technology Policy, Strategy and Implementation Plan for consideration to the Ministry of Communication, Works and Labour of Montserrat on the 21st of June 2021.
The CTU team executed this project during the period 31st October 2011 to February 2012;and was comprised of regional ICT experts and engineers: Nigel Cassimire – Team Lead; Rodney Taylor – Senior Consultant; Wayne Butcher – Senior Consultant; John Mollenthiel – Senior Consultant. The process commenced with preliminary stakeholder consultations and the collection of ICT status data. The team worked very closely with Claudia Skerrit, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Communications, Works and Labour, to ensure that the content of the document is consistent with the Ministry’s vision.It is intended that the draft Information and Communication Technology Policy, Strategy and Implementation Plan will complement and build on the anticipated outcomes identified in the e-Government strategy. The National ICT Policy focusses on the areas of education, society, business, infrastructure, government and creating an enabling environment in order for the nation to reap the full benefits of ICTs.
The draft National ICT Policy, Strategy and Implementation Plan for Montserrat articulates a coherent, national approach to the adoption and use of ICT over the period 2012 – 2016. It has been developed with a view to supporting the achievement of Monteserrat’s Sustainable Development Plan’s (SDP) goals. As a major companion plan to the SDP, the National ICT Plan addresses the various roles and requirements of ICT in supporting and accelerating the realisation of the SDP’s vision. Consultations were held with numerous stakeholders in order to ensure that the objectives in each focus area represent the wishes of the population. This involved a series of meetings with persons from within Government, the business community, the ICT sector, the student body, the general public and the Diaspora. Their respective views and opinions were recorded and analysed in order to determine the policy objectives. Each objective was then described through a series of related policy statements. The submitted document is currently being assesed by the Ministry of Communication, Works and Labour for the development of a National Montserratian ICT Policy and Implementation Plan.