Public sector in for ICT upgrade

Some sections of the Public sector are in for major upgrades in Information and Communication Technology (ICT).Minister of Economic Affairs Dr David Estwick unveiled a plan of action contained in the National ICT Strategic Plan, aimed at transforming Barbados into a major ICT hub regionally and internationally.Addressing a dinner hosted by the Information Society of Barbados to honour Central Bank Governor Dr DeLisle Worrell at the Hilton hotel Friday night, Estwick  said the plan’s vision was to transform Barbados into an “E” country.He outlined six national goals associated with this vision projected to be fully realised by the year 2015. Among them, Estwick said, was  the aim to develop an ICT literate society that would enable Barbadians from all segments to participate fully in the Information Society. It was also intended to transform the public and business sectors into an “E” environment.“The use of ICT’s within the public sector is being actively promoted as a catalyst which will serve to stimulate productivity and competitiveness and to respond to increasing adoption of technology-based systems by the business community,” the minister stated.He disclosed that an on-line services project was being introduced by the Division of Trade, Industry and Commerce to facilitate access to that department’s services online.Through this facility, applications for import licences would be completed on-line.It would also make some services of the Office of Public Counsel, the office of the Supervisor of Insolvency and the Cooperatives Department available on-line.Estwick added that a suite of legislation had been put in place to create the “requisite legal and regulatory framework which is essential to conduct business in this new and emerging environment”.The minister meanwhile acknowledged Worrell as a Barbadian who had served Barbados, the region and the world as an economist and financial adviser for many years, and he congratulated the Information Society of Barbados for honouring the Central Bank Governor during his lifetime. (GC)