World Awaits Caribbean Flavour - Minister Vaz

July20, 2010

WORLD AWAITS CARIBBEAN FLAVOUR...MIN VAZ

Minister with responsibility for Information andTelecommunication, Daryl Vaz, hasurged entrepreneurs and creators to use computers and the Internet for morethan basic functions. He was launching the Caribbean ICT Roadshow, a two dayinformation and communications technology conference, in Kingston on Sunday, July 18. The conferenceopened on Monday (July 19) and goes until Tuesday evening (July 20).

Minister Vaz said, “I want to use this opportunity to encourage our scientists,entrepreneurs and investors to collaborate in the area of research andinnovation - the countries of the region await your Caribbean flavoured answersto consumers’,  producers’ and service providers’ needs. We will depend onyou to eliminate the perceived dichotomy between development and environmentalprotection.  We, the Government stand ready to facilitate and support you- we remain neutral to the technology and declare a bias to universal access,efficiency, effectiveness, progress and prosperity for all.”

Minister Vaz gave a hint of his Sectoral presentation Today (July 20) when hesaid, “Accelerated focus is also being given to the establishment of GovNet,not only to improve internal communications and service delivery of government,but also to promote the use of the ICT’s through the creation of appropriategovernment portals and interface for the citizenry.”

GovNet will be a cost-effectiveand efficient infrastructure over which government will share information amongits entities and also with the public.  Inthe Caribbean: Trinidad and Tobagoand also Antigua, already

have such an infrastructure.

The ICT Roadshow is a two-dayconference with demonstrations, displays and seminars on current trends ininformation and communication technology.  It is open to the public at no charge with thelast presentation by Blackberry on Monday at 6:00 p.m. Today’s presentationwill feature Dennis Chung on financial shopping for capital, Marcia Forbes onparenting and social media, Christopher Reckord of Innovative CorporateSolutions on ICT and education and E-learning presentation about innovations ineducation. The session opens at 8:30 a.m. and the

last presentation is at 5:00p.m.

Sessions are being streamed live at www.jamaicalivetv.com.