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Honourable W. Baldwin SpencerPrime Minister

Government of Antigua and BarbudaOffice of the Prime Minister

The Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and Telecommunications continues to lead my Government’s charge to bring about a genuine revolution in our twin island nation through the use of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs).My Government promised to make substantial investments in equipping our

young people with the skills and competence necessary for them to successfully meet the challenges of the 21st century. We also promised to ensure information technology skills are widely disseminated. We are delivering on these promises. The Government is building a people-centered, inclusive and development-

oriented Information Society, where everyone can create, access, utilize and share information and knowledge, enabling individuals, communities and our people to achieve their full potential in promoting sustainable development and improving the quality of their life.ICTs have an extremely important role to play in the process of national

development. Based on my observations, all progressive countries, whether developed or developing, are endeavoring to exploit the virtues of ICTs to add value to the quality of life of their citizens and generally spur economic, social and cultural development such that persons at all strata of society can benefit in a positive manner.My Government sees itself as a model user of new technologies. The Government

is committed to developing its telecommunications and other ICT infrastructure so that it can take full advantage of the new technologies.I commend the Honourable Dr. Edmond Mansoor and his team on this important

initiative that is just another step that will ensure the integration and adaptation of ICTs in all spheres of our daily lives.

Honourable Baldwin SpencerPrime Minister

Building a People-Centered Information Society

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Honourable Dr. Edmond A. MansoorMinister of State Information, Broadcasting & Telecommunications

Government of Antigua and BarbudaOffice of the Prime Minister

The Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and Telecommunications is the proud host of ICTFEST 2006, a technology showcase that is the premier event on the Ministry’s annual calendar.The annual ICTFEST is part of the Government’s commitment aimed at ensuring

the integration and adaptation of state of the art information and communication technologies in all spheres of national life.The Government’s ICT policy is designed to upgrade the intellectual capital of the

Nation and to building an open and pluralistic society – one in which all citizens and residents have access to information and knowledge.Innovations in information and communication technologies have increased

exponentially our capacity to connect with the global community. It is up to us to harness the potential of these technologies in our work to extend the benefits of advances in education, health care and trade to all.In collaboration with Telecommunications Providers, the Government of Antigua

and Barbuda pledges to make available to all Antiguans and Barbudans the benefits of new technologies, especially information communication technologies.In cooperation with the Private Sector, the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting

and Telecommunications pledges to bridge technological differences and promote interconnectivity for all.The Government continues to position Antigua and Barbuda to take full advantage

of the explosion in wireless technologies. All Antiguans and Barbudans, citizens and residents alike, will benefit from the societal impacts of ICTs. We are strongly committed to educating and empowering citizens in the use of ICTs.In Antigua and Barbuda, telecommunications costs, including charges for access

to cellular technology and high-speed Internet access, will continue to decrease, while affordability and accessibility to technology will both increase.I resolve to do all I can to lead the way to a truly open, inclusive and prosperous

telecommunications age.

Honourable Dr. Edmond A. MansoorMinister of StateOffice of the Prime Minister

Government Commits to an Inclusive and Prosperous Telecommunications Age

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by Dr. Patrick Lay Director Information Technology Center

IntroductionThe Government of Antigua and Barbuda has been

pushing its Digital Agenda rapidly forward to position the Nation as the regional leader in building an electronically wired digital society. In this respect, the Government has made great strides in pursuing its move to e-Government and is fully committed to the success of its Digital Agenda.

What is E-government?E-government is all about Government agencies

working together to use technology so that they can better provide individuals and businesses with automated, superior Government services and information. It is not a massive Information Technology (IT) project. Much of it is about establishing common standards across Government, delivering services more effectively and efficiently, and providing ways for agencies to work together using cutting edge technology.E-government will enable people to use digital

technology to find and use Antigua and Barbuda Government information and services.The Government has developed a vision statement

defining its intentions, directions and estimated timeframes, embodied in its ICT Draft Policy statement.The e-government strategy sets out the approach

being taken across Government until 2010 to achieve this vision. The strategy was developed starting in the summer of 2004 and will continue to be reviewed regularly.

About the E-government ProgrammeThe e-government programme and the e-government

Unit were formally established in the Government Information Technology (IT) Center in the summer of 2004.

The two main reasons for the establishment of the programme are to: • Ensure that the public sector is able to make the

best use of information and technology to improve its service delivery, internal performance and overall capability; and• Facilitate the necessary organizational changes,

development of networks and relationships for the above to occur.

Role of the E-government UnitThe e-Government Unit is responsible for the following in

the e-Government programme:

Strategy• Develop and manage the delivery of an overarching

e-government strategy, as well as supporting policies, standards and guidelines.

Leadership• Facilitate uptake by government agencies of the

e-Government vision.

Coordination/collaboration• Identify opportunities for collaboration across

Government agencies; leverage existing information management and technology investment, and provide coordination for multi-agency e-Government projects;

Policy• Provide e-Government policy advice to the

Honourable Minister of Information, Broadcasting and Telecommunications; and

Monitoring• Monitor progress toward achieving the e-

government vision.

The Digital Agenda of the Government of Antigua and Barbuda:E-Government

Continued on page 16

Dr. Patrick LayDirectorInformation Technology Center

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On September 7, 2006, a hallmark initiative was launched in the Grays Green Community. A modern Community Computer Access Center, equipped with twenty high speed computers all with high speed Internet access, was opened at the Greenbay Primary School.Through the Community

Access Centers (CACs), primary school students, teachers and principals in primary schools as well as the members of the surrounding communities are being provided with computer training right in their communities at no charge. Persons of all ages will benefit from this initiative.The Government’s intention is to provide access to computers and to the Internet at all primary schools in order to

help build strong communities. The Government is committed to building a truly inclusive Information Society for all Antiguans and Barbudans. In phase one of the CAC programme, centers will be established in five other primary schools and communities:

• Five Islands School• Jennings Primary School• Villa Primary School• Golden Grove Primary School• Sea View Farm Primary School.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Prime Minister, the Honourable Baldwin Spencer, said: “We strongly believe that none of our citizens should be denied access to computer technology, especially access to the Internet, that vast reservoir of knowledge, because of their particular circumstances”.The CAC initiative, which is the brainchild of Minister of State with responsibility for Information, Broadcasting and

Telecommunications, Honourable Dr. Edmond Mansoor, will provide an opportunity for the sharing of knowledge and experiences and for formulating programmes and projects that would assist digitally disadvantaged communities in sharing in the benefits of new technologies.Speaking on the CAC initiative, Minister Mansoor said: “We cannot deny any of our citizens, especially those

who reside in or go to school in disadvantaged communities, from sharing in the benefits of new technologies. Technology is like education – it enables people to lift themselves out of poverty. Technology is a tool for, not just a reward, of growth and development.”“The key tools of development in a modern society are the Internet, mobile phones, wireless technology and

broadband. It is for precisely that reason why the first CAC is being opened today in the Grays Green Community. In order for the members of the Grays Green Community to grow and develop, this tool called technology must be made available. And this Government is making technology available. There is a direct relationship between the rate of deployment and utilization of technology and the rate of growth and development of our economy and society.”Young people, specifically primary school students, are the ones that will reap the full benefits of the technology

revolution. It is the lives of this age group that will be changed most dramatically by the technology revolution.

Community Access Centers Providing Schools and Communities with Internet Access

Prime Minister Hon. Baldwin Spencer and a student from the Greenbay Primary School surfing the Internet at the Grays Green Community Computer Access Center

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Information and communication technologies (ICTs) play a unique, proven role in fostering innovation, creativity and competitiveness of all industry and service sectors. They are essential for addressing key societal challenges and modernising public services, and they underpin progress in all science and technology fields. Antigua and Barbuda must, therefore, master and shape the future developments of ICTs and ensure that ICT-based services and products are taken up and used to deliver the maximum possible benefits for citizens and businesses. The Government of Antigua and Barbuda sees leadership in Information Communications Technology as Antigua and Barbuda’s best option for country competitiveness in the impending Caribbean Single Market and Economy and in the global economy.New ICT technologies will open up many new

opportunities for higher-value products and services, many of which are in areas where the Caribbean does not enjoy industrial or technological leadership. But despite this obvious disadvantage, Caribbean governments must find ways of improving the region’s competitiveness and enable the Caribbean to master and shape the future development of ICTs so that the demands of its society and economy are met. Partnering at the regional and global level is the optimal approach to ICT investment. More than ever before, such efforts are needed to keep pace with soaring research costs in an era of global competition, and increasingly complex and interdependent technologies.The convergence and integration of communication

networks and services, and the explosive growth of the Internet and electronic commerce has not gone unnoticed. Accordingly, the Government has developed, after extensive consultations, a comprehensive ICT policy, which is a blue print for the economic transformation of Antigua and Barbuda to a knowledge-based society. The policy also envisions achieving the growth of small

and medium enterprises by leveraging ICT services and techniques and having unparalleled growth in

the national economy by increasing employment and revenue inflows that are directly attributable to a vibrant ICT industry. The active participation of small and medium sized businesses and other small entities is essential given their role in promoting innovation.The broad and prevailing

use of the Internet Protocols has triggered the process of the convergence of

telecommunications, multimedia, and entertainment systems. Today, it is possible to make telephone calls, listen to radio, watch TV, and share music over the Internet. In the field of traditional telecommunications, the main point of convergence is the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Already we see the deployment of ubiquitous and unlimited capacity communications networks by various local operators. The general public now has better access to cost-effective mobile and broadband network technologies and systems. Within the next year, there will be convergence of different fixed, mobile, wireless and broadcasting networks spanning from the personal area to the regional and global area and interoperability of wired and wireless services and applications within the Antigua and Barbuda market.However, the greatest potential that ICT’s offer to

Antigua and Barbuda is the various methods and techniques they provide for its people to acquire, interpret, represent and personalise, navigate and retrieve, share and deliver knowledge. In fact the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in education is rapidly expanding worldwide. Open and distance learning is one of the most rapidly

growing fields of education, and its potential impact on all education delivery systems has been greatly accentuated through the development of Internet-based information technologies, and in particular the World Wide Web. It is fast becoming an accepted and indispensable part of the mainstream of educational

Accelerating the Development Process with ICTs by Clement Samuel

Telecommunications Officer Telecommunications Division

Clement Samuel Telecommunications OfficerTelecommunications Division

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systems in both developed and developing countries. There is evidence that it can lead to innovation in mainstream education, and may even have effects beyond the realm of education itself. Growth has been stimulated in part by the interest

among decision makers, educators and trainers in the use of, and also by the recognition that traditional ways of organizing education need to be reinforced by innovative methods, if the fundamental right of all people to learning is to be realized. Governments worldwide are promoting more and more the use of open and distance learning as a complementary approach to traditional educational structures in order to meet the new and changing demands for education and training in the twenty-first century and to limit as much as possible the long-term effects caused by lack of resources, demographic trends and the HIV and AIDS pandemic.

The following factors have contributed to the success and expansion of distance education provision: • need to ensure lifelong education by multiplying

entry points to learning and training opportunities; • provision of increased opportunities for updating,

retraining and personal enrichment; • improving cost-effectiveness of educational

resources; • enhancing the quality of existing educational

services;

• balancing inequalities between age groups; • extending geographical access to education; • providing speedy and efficient training for key target

groups; • expanding the capacity for education in new and

multidisciplinary subject areas; • offering the combination of education with work and

family life; • the technological advances that have made it

possible to teach more and more subjects at a distance (particularly the Internet and the World

Wide Web); • enhancing the international dimension of the

educational experience.

ICTs will help Antigua and Barbuda to leap frog the development process, by moving directly to a globally-connected, information-driven, knowledge-based society. Advances in communication technology and high-

speed data networks are continuously increasing the possibilities for our Caribbean Countries, and countries with economies in transition, to participate in the global-market for ICT-enabled services on the basis of their comparative advantage. These emerging opportunities are providing a powerful commercial basis for ICT infrastructural investment.

The Caribbean Representative of the International Telecommunications Union, Phillip Cross, discussing ITU issues with Hon. Dr. Edmond Mansoor during a CTU sponsored training programme in Antigua

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The Future of Wireless Communications:Wi-Fi and / or Wi-Max…Why Not? by William Henry

Assistant Telecommunications Officer Telecommunications Division

The successful global deployment of cellular mobile

communications systems together with the phenomenal

growth of the Internet over the past decade have

revolutionized the way people communicate.

Technological research and development have

produced diverse advancements, most notably the

convergence of voice, data and video technologies.

This innovation has stimulated a global trend towards

the build-out of high quality networks that allows for the

transmission of multiple services simultaneously over the

same transport medium. Communications between

devices that utilize multimedia applications exert great

demand on the existing infrastructure for high-speed

and broad bandwidth access. These demands can

be met by networks with built-in broadband switching

systems optimized to deliver broadband services.

In this modern age of Information Communication

Technology (ICT), wireless communications have

become an essential part of the daily routines of many

including globe trotting businessmen. Part of the global

wireless appeal is due to the convenience of having

unrestricted access to voice, Internet, video and data

(graphics and text) services while on the go, without

being tethered to the network via cables.

One of the solutions that is typical of this ongoing

revolution has been the successful global deployment

of the IEEE 802.11 Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)

standard also known as Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi).

Why Wi-Fi?

The critical foundation to Wi-Fi’s success comprises

the supporting reinforcements of IEEE Standardization,

Interoperability and Spectrum Availability. This

achievement has created remarkable opportunities

for Policy Makers and Regulators to be innovators in

finding a better solution regarding effective spectrum

usage. Traditional spectrum licencing methods are too

prohibitive and restrictive: what’s desirable is a solution

that adjusts to the innovative uses of new technology in

a manner that will ensure that legacy1 devices still retain

their functionality.

It has been estimated that mobile phone operators

have spent over US$112 Billion acquiring 3 G Wireless

spectrum licences. The results:

• the slow roll-out of services for some operators

(insufficient cash remains for infrastructure – in addition

3 G adapters may be expensive); and

• expensive service (means of recovering

installation and spectrum costs).

Wi-Max: The Critical Solution in Wireless

Communications Standards?

The efficiencies of Wi-Fi are accompanied by

shortcomings such as its limitation in terms of coverage

- approximately 300 feet. In consideration of this, the

global deployment of the IEEE 802.16-2005 standard

(802.16e, generally known as Mobile Wi-Max) also known

as Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access

(Wi-Max) Wireless Metropolitan Area Network (WMAN)

got underway. Of the various IEEE and other wireless

standards in existence presently, only Wi-Max addresses

all the key elements needed to make the successful

evolution towards “full mobility”.

At the same time it possesses Broadband Wireless

Access (BWA) capacity for readily providing speeds

up to 70 Mbps as alternative ‘last mile’ technology in

Internet access. WLAN backhaul, minimal deployment

cost, natural adaptability to worldwide variation in band

portions and the affinity for vendors likely to get approval

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of the 802.16e standard additionally showcase Wi-Max’s versatility and appeal.

Fig. 1 above shows Wi-Max’s relationship with other Wireless Technologies.

Conclusion

Wi-Fi and Wi-Max can co-exist. In fact, it is common opinion that they are strongest when working together. Small

tourism-dominated economies such as Antigua & Barbuda may experience exponential growth if served by an

economically viable wireless communications infrastructure comprising Wi-Fi and Wi-Max networks.

Figure 1 The Mobile Standards Compared

Cable and Wireless Chief Executive, Davidson Charles and Hon. Dr. Edmond Mansoor examine the Wi-Max report and the tremendous advantages this wireless technology has for the widespread usage of high speed Internet

Cable and Wireless (Antigua) Limited has successfully tested the deployment of Wi-Max technology in Antigua. This was a first for both Cable and Wireless and Antigua and Barbuda. One of the potential major advantages of Wi-Max technology is that the coverage area could exceed 30 miles. Cable and Wireless will launch Wi-Max technology in Antigua in September, 2006 making Antigua and Barbuda one of the first countries in the Caribbean to have both Wi-Fi and Wi-Max networks. Pictured to the left is Cable and Wireless Chief Executive, Davidson Charles, presenting Honourable Dr. Edmond Mansoor a technical report on the Wi-Max trial. Looking on are: (l to R) Neisha Burton, Vice-President of Internet at Cable and Wireless, Antigua; Clement Samuel, Telecommunications Officer; and Delreo Newman, Telecommunications Consultant.

Characteristics 3 G Wi-Fi: 802.11 Wi-Max: 802.16e Mobile Fi: 802.20

Max. Speed 2 Mbps 54 Mbps 100 Mbps 16 Mbps

Coverage Several Miles 300 feet 50 Miles Several Miles

Airwave Licenced Licenced Licenced Licenced

Advantages Range, mobility Speed, price Speed, range Speed, mobility

Disadvantages Slow, expensive Short Range Interference issu High price

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www.antigua.gov.ag the offi cial web site of the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, is very interactive and provides information on Ministries and Government departments.

It also provides quick links to the state owned Antigua and Barbuda Broadcasting Service (ABS) Television

and Radio services.The Antigua and Barbuda News Center is also hosted on this site as well as links to other important websites.

The website is updated by the website development and Internet engineering staff at the Information Technology (IT) Center.

A new website detailing the laws of Antigua and Barbuda was launched in June, 2006. Over 400 laws are available online in Adobe Acrobat format. Visitors to the site have fi ve different search options: • Index• From 1993-2006• Alphabetical order• Keyword search • Volume revised edition 1992.

The Government has provided a fully keyword searchable database to its nearly 1000 laws. Using the keyword search, information is displayed in microseconds. This initiative is the brainchild of Dr. Patrick Lay, the Director of the

Information Technology Center. Dr. Lay has summarized the e-Government vision as one in which Antiguans and Barbudans will be able to gain access to Government information and services and participate in our democracy, using the Internet, telephones and other technologies as they emerge.

www.antigua.gov.ag the offi cial web site of the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, is very interactive and provides information on Ministries and Government departments.

It also provides quick links to the state owned Antigua and Barbuda Broadcasting Service (ABS) Television

and Radio services.The Antigua and Barbuda News Center is also hosted on this site as well as links to other important websites.

The website is updated by the website development and Internet engineering

www.antigua.gov.ag

A new website detailing the laws of Antigua and A new website detailing the laws of Antigua and Barbuda was launched in June, 2006. Over 400

The Government has provided a fully keyword searchable database to its nearly 1000 laws. Using the keyword search, information is displayed in microseconds. This initiative is the brainchild of Dr. Patrick Lay, the Director of the

Information Technology Center. Dr. Lay has summarized the e-Government vision as one in which Antiguans and Barbudans will be able to gain access to Government information and services and participate in our democracy, using the Internet, telephones and other technologies

laws.gov.ag

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Since the beginning of time, man

has found it very important to be able

to communicate. As Information

Communication Technology

evolves, we are taken with the ability

to communicate wirelessly. But have

we ever stopped to consider that

we are returning right back to where

we started some time in the past?

Before Alexander Bell invented

the telephone, Indian tribes literally

used the air for messaging. They lit

their fires and fanned the smoke

into the air. According to the puffs

of smoke, the receivers interpreted

the message. Similarly, African

tribes sent messages using the

drums. I imagine that in their own

way they even had repeaters in

their networks. When a message

was not intended for that receiver,

it was repeated so that it could pass

to the desired destination.

One system that I am sure we would

find very challenging to reconstruct

if we had to go back in time, is the

ability to send a message using a

pigeon. In today’s society, that bird

would be distracted; it may stop on

the way to eat or join friends. The

pigeon would also have to avoid Liat

and Caribbean Star on the way!

The difference now in this century, is

that we have much more information

to send and receive over longer

distances. Initially, it was important

to be able to speak directly, That’s

where the telephone came in,

thanks to Alexander Graham Bell

in 1876. Then we wanted to see

documents and photographs. Scotti

sh physicist Alexander Bain patented

the first facsimile device in 1843, but

it was not until 1902 that a German

physicist transmitted photographs

from one device to another over

telephone lines.

In the 1800s, the idea of wireless

radio communication was born

from the theories of two English

physicists, Michael Faraday and

James Clerk Maxwell. In 1873,

Maxwell had put forward the theory

of electromagnetic theory of light,

and in 1888 the German physicist

Heinrich Hertz applied these theories

to construct a spark-gap transmitter,

a device that generated radio waves

from an electric spark. He proved

that electricity could be transmitted

in electromagnetic waves, which

travel at the speed of light and

possess many other properties of

light. His experiments led to the

development of the telegraph and

the radio.

Because of Mr. Hertz’s work in this

area, the unit of frequency which

is measured in cycles per second,

was renamed Hertz. (Hz). It was not

just enough to use this principle

for short distances; so Guglielmo

Marconi built the first transoceanic

transmitter in 1901. These scientists

were constantly working to develop

new methods of improving

communication. Scientists seek to

send not only voice but data and

are constantly working at improving

the speed on the transmission.

The Internet has revolutionized

the way we communicate. Initially,

we dealt with just data; now it

is voice over internet protocol

(VOIP). We have the luxury of video

conferencing from a computer

at home. But as development

continues, you can now be on the

move with your laptop and still have

access to the Internet, as long as

you are in the location of an access

point, and your laptop caters for the

IEEE1 802.11 (WIFI- Wireless Fidelity)

standard.

The first version of the IEEE 802.11

standard was ratified in 1997 and

then in 1999, when the first revisions

were made. IEEE standards are

organized in such a way that

extensions to any given standard

are published as modifications and

are named by adding a letter to the

original standard.

In the case of 802.11, we have

extensions 802.11a, 802.11b,

802.11g, etc. As technology

evolves, the IEEE working groups

meet to discuss the standards for

the operations of these devices.

These groups include persons from

companies which manufacture

devices and are involved in

someway with the equipment

involved. For example, companies

such as Intel, Nokia, and Cisco would

The Insatiable Need For Better Communicationby Sandra Tucker

Research Officer

Telecommunications Division

Sandra TuckerResearch OfficerTelecommunications Division

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have members in the groups to work out the ratifications

of the new standards associated with the changing

technology. They discuss standards for connectivity,

the type of medium and the frequencies used, the

speed of the data, the security of data, backward

compatibility, coexistence with other systems, matters

pertaining to interference and many other aspects of

the new system.

WIFI has been deployed here in Antigua. WIFI allows

you to access the Internet if you are in an area which is

referred to as a hotspot and you have an account with

the service. In some instances, some companies offer

an open system which requires no authentication. It’s

also what allows you to connect to your wireless router

in your business or home. WIFI devices use low powered

transmitters and receivers equipped with special

computer chips containing radio modems. They are

installed in computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs)

and cell phones.

Even as development continued on the IEEE 802.11 in

1999, the 802 committee set up a new working group,

the 802.16 to develop standards for Broadband Wireless

Access. This system, known as WIMAX (Worldwide

Interoperability Microwave Access) is already here in

Antigua as well. The full impact might not be felt as yet,

but it is good to know that we are abreast with modern

technology. One thing is certain. The current method is

not the last. Information will increase and communication

will be enhanced as technology grows.

(Footnotes)

1 Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers

Secretary-General of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union, Bernadette Lewis, addressing the opening ceremony of the CTU sponsored Spectrum Management Training Programme, which focussed on spectrum mangement principles and spectrum monitoring.

In Febraury, 2006, Antigua was host to a Spectrum Mangement Training Programme under the auspices of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU). History was created during this event when, for the first time ever in the annals of the CTU, the

training programme was carried via live webcast to participants in several countries around the world.

Pictured above during the opening ceremony are: (L to R) Reverend Father Frank Power, Catholic Diocese of St. John’s-Basseterre; Nigel Cassimire, CTU Project Engineer; Phillip Cross, Caribbean Representative, International Telecommunications Union; Bernadette Lewis, CTU Secretary-General; Hon. Baldwin Spencer, Prime Minister; Hon. Dr. Edmond Mansoor, Minister of State (Information, Broadcasting and Telecommunications); Selby Wilson, CTU Telecommunications Consultant; and Dave

Payne, Director, Government Information Service (GIS)

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It started out as another bright day in Saint John’s. Mr.

Dithers was getting ready to open his new business. All

the desks were in place, topped with office supplies.

Space had been set aside for the 5 new computers

that had just cleared customs. The truck arrived at 10:15

a.m., only an hour late, or on time

depending on how you look at it.

Mr. Dithers quickly unpacked and

inspected each computer, as if he

had been practicing for years. Mr. D

expertly assembled his computers and

connected his small office network.

At 5:05 p.m. the Internet company

arrived as promised with their 9.a.m.

appointment to hook up the DSL to the

router.

Working late into the night, Mr. Dithers

gave the DSL installer the passwords to

the computers. The installer claimed he

needed the passwords to make sure the

Internet was working. Sometime around

midnight, the installation was completed. So proud was

the new owner that he scheduled a party with friends

and family. It was a great celebration; the business

was opened. There was a band, balloons and both

newspapers showed up. All three cell phone companies

showed up to give out free stuff. Mr. D became well

liked as his new business created some needed jobs,

and he offered a great service at reasonable prices.

Things were going exceptionally well for Mr. Dithers.

Each employee was given access to the computers

to do their jobs. Everyone logged in as “User” and

entered the password ‘password’. It was a good idea to

use a password for security. Things were going so well,

everyone was given permission to use the Internet.

I think it was a Thursday; yes I’m pretty sure it was a

Thursday night. Mr. Dithers was alone in the shop after

hours. He was checking inventory. Outside the wind

was starting to howl, the rain was coming down hard,

but he was safe inside the building. While working on

his computer, he started to get pop ups. Horrible pop

ups coming faster and faster, showing the most vile

obscenities you can think of. Pop ups for everything from

Viagra to things so obscene Mr. D had to shut down the

computer and went to another. Lightning outside began

to crackle as he worked. Boom, then flash as lightning

struck outside. The computer began to

smoke. It had no power protection.

Mr. D was becoming desperate. He had

to finish his inventory before morning so

he could get insurance and order more

products for his shop. It was a very dark

and stormy night for Mr. D, but he finally

got his work done.

A few weeks later business for Mr. D began

to drop off. Good customers were no

longer coming to call. Directly across from

Mr. D on the very same street a new shop

opened up. It was owned by the installer

that had set up Mr. D’s internet. While

looking out his window, Mr. D could see

some of his favorite customers entering the

shop across the street. It was learned that the installer

had a copy of Mr. D’s client list and was calling them

with great offers. Over the next few weeks, there was

more trouble with the computers as they continued to

break down. Soon Mr. D was forced to close up his shop

as he could no longer afford to stay in business.

Desperate for a job, Mr. D went across the street and

applied hoping to learn the secrets of why this new shop

did not suffer as he had with computer problems. During

the interview, Mr. D could contain himself no longer. He

yelled out, “You stole my customer list!” “Calm down

my friend,” the installer said. “I did not steal anything.

You just did not lock them up properly and everyone

was able to get into your network. Your passwords were

easy; you had no security, no anti-virus, and no power

protection.”

After talking for several hours, Mr. D asked: “How

could have you learned so much? I thought I knew a

lot about my networks.” The installer went on to explain

his specialty was hooking up the Internet, not building

It was a Dark and Stormy Night, Comes to Antigua by Robert Rait

Senior Network Engineer

Information Technology Center

Robert Rait

Senior Network Engineer

Information Technology

Center

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networks. He got the advice of a consultant; he called

the IT Center for help.

“Boy,” exclaimed Mr. D, hitting himself so hard his

glasses flew off. “If only I had known. It makes sense to

call a consultant. I would have spent only a few dollars

to have my network reviewed and secured, instead of

losing so much money on a bad network.”

The installer and Mr. D went on to become good friends.

When Mr. D finally got his insurance money, he invested

with his new friend and they became good partners.

Their business grew rapidly, and they had to expand.

They quickly agreed that to make the network grow they

would call the IT Center for more consultancies on how

to secure and protect their network. They agreed that

security and backups was the first most important thing

they could do to insure they would stay in business for a

very long time.

So, the next time you are in town looking for a good

company, stop in and see Mr. D and the installer. They

open promptly at 9 a.m. You can be sure your personal

information will be safe with them.

Prime Minsiter Hon. Baldwin Spencer shares a light moment with Hon. Dr. Edmond Mansoor during the opening ceremony of a CTU sponsored Spectrum Management Training Programme

The Government of Antigua and Barbuda is actively pushing forward its Digital Agenda. The Government has made great strides in pursuing its move to e-Government. Pictured to the left, Prime Minister Hon. Baldwin Spencer discusses the roll out of e-Government services with Dr. Patrick Lay, Director of the Information Technology Center and Hon. Dr. Edmond Mansoor, Minister of State with responsibility for Information, Broadcasting and Telecommunications

Prime Minister Hon. Badwin Spencer accepts a token from the CTU Secretary-General, Bernadette Lewis

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In March, 2006, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda consented to the change of control of Antigua Wireless Ventures Limited doing business as Cingular Wireless to Antigua Wireless Ventures Limited trading as Digicel.In October, 1996, the Government of Antigua and

Barbuda granted Observer Publications Limited a 25-year license to operate a mobile telephone system in Antigua and Barbuda. Under that licensing arrangement, the Company could not, without the consent of the Government, assign or dispose of the license.Observer Publications traded as Airtel Cellular and

immediately started to compete with bigger, more established telecommunications providers.Airtel’s cellular operations were subsequently acquired

by AT&T Wireless. AT&T Wireless’ Caribbean operations were subsequently acquired by Cingular Wireless, and in October, 2004 Antigua Wireless Ventures Limited, which was trading in Antigua as AT&T Wireless, was permitted by the Government to transfer the license to Cingular Wireless.Within a few short months of the commencement of

Cingular Wireless’ Antigua operations, there were rumours of a buyout by Digicel of Cingular Wireless” Caribbean

operat ions. Like the technology, this business also changes rapidly.In June,

2005 Digicel notified the Government of Antigua and Barbuda about an i n t e n d e d change of control from Cingular Wireless to Digicel.In October, 2005 both Digicel and Cingular Wireless

confirmed a pan-Caribbean purchase of Cingular’s operations. This meant that Digicel had acquired the operations in 14 Caribbean countries.In Antigua and Barbuda, the Government sought to

ensure that the purchase of Cingular by Digicel was not simply going to be one corporate entity swallowing another with the Government simply being a spectator to the transaction.

After extensive discussions and negotiations with Darren Derrick, General Manager of Antigua Wireless Ventures Limited, the Government consented to the change of control of Antigua Wireless Ventures Limited from Cingular Wireless to Digicel.Digicel has developed a reputation

for being an aggressive promoter of its products and services.

Digicel Enters the Antigua and Barbuda Telecommunications Market

After entering the Antigua and Barbuda telecommunications market, Digicel collaborated with the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and Telecommunications to launch an annual fully-paid scholarship in Information Technology at the Antigua and Barbuda International Institute of Technology (ABIIT). Pictured at left Darren Derrick, General Manager, Digicel Antigua presenting a committment citation about the annual IT scholarship to Hon. Baldwin Spencer, Prime Minister

Honourable Dr. Edmond A. MansoorMinister of State Information, Broadcasting & Telecommunications

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The E-government Unit has a central role in defining and achieving the Government’s objectives for e-government. The delivery of e-government, in which

people can meet the majority of their information and services needs from Government being online, is the responsibility of all Government agencies in partnership with the E-Government Unit.

E-Government VisionThe summary e-Government vision is that Antiguans

and Barbudans will be able to gain access to Government information and services and participate in our democracy, using the Internet, telephones and other technologies as they emerge.

What is E-government?A worldwide revolution in information and

communications technologies is occurring. The Internet, the personal computer, and the mobile phone are fundamentally changing our lives - affecting the way we work, learn and interact.

E-government is a way for Governments to use the new technologies to provide people with more convenient access to Government information and services, to improve the quality of the services and to provide greater opportunities to participate in our democratic institutions and processes. E-government presents Antiguans and Barbudans with some tremendous opportunities to move forward in the 21st century with higher quality, cost-effective, Government services and a better relationship between Antiguans and Barbudans and their Government.Up to March, 2004, there were few examples of e-

Government solutions in Antigua and Barbuda. There were a few examples of information based Government websites, but only a few allowed for interaction between the public and the Government and none offered a way to access Government services online. The latter range from the Antigua and Barbuda Government Online website (http://www.antigua.gov.ag), to the British High Commission’s website (http://www.antigua-barbuda.com) or to the Department of Tourism website (http://www.antigua-barbuda.org).The task for the Government was to build on

these individual initiatives and develop them into a comprehensive plan for achieving the benefits of e-Government more widely on behalf of all Antiguans

and Barbudans. The planned development of e-Government will improve the ability of all people to participate in our democracy. But, left to develop by itself, it has the potential to create new divisions in society between those who have the skills and tools to use the new technologies to participate in our democracy and those who do not. The Government is not prepared to allow this to happen and is fully committed to ensuring that the majority of Antiguans and Barbudans will have affordable access to Internet and related technologies and to further narrow the digital divide.How has E-government improved the quality of

Government and peoples’ participation in it?E-government solutions will continue to improve

Government in four important ways.

(1) It provides an easier way for people to have their say in Government.For example, consider a situation where a Ministry

proposes to make changes to the way it provides a particular service. It can outline the proposed policy changes on its Internet site and seek comment from people who have something to say about those services and the proposed new policy. The feedback could then be used to refine that policy. Currently, the Government has implemented online e-forums and posts all of its proposed laws and policy documents online, providing a means for public feedback on important legislative and policy changes. This has already resulted in significant positive adjustments and modifications to the benefit of both the Government and its citizens.

(2) People will get better services from Government organizations.For example, instead of joining a queue to register

a motor car, the owner will be able do it from his or her home and at any time of the day on any day of the week. This will improve flexibility, speed and access to Government services. It also has another potential benefit - lowering the cost of Government.

(3) People will receive more integrated services because different Government organizations will be able to communicate more effectively with each other.For example, as a result of an accident, a person may

need to communicate with several different Government organizations outlining his/her personal circumstances and needs to each organization. If the organizations have the ability to share information and integrate their services, the person need only go through that process once instead of several times.

Continued from page 3

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(4) People will be better informed because they can get up-to-date and comprehensive information about Government laws, regulations, policies and services.Currently, the Government has posted all its laws

online (laws.gov.ag), and has provided a fully keyword searchable database to its nearly 1,000 laws.For example, if a person wants to transport an oversized

load of materials by truck or trailer from one side of town to the other, he/she has to get a hold of the appropriate road safety regulations, which are available only in a printed form. Making that kind of information available on the Internet will improve peoples’ ability to go about their leisure or work-time activities safely and within the law.If developments are staged over a number of years,

how will people judge what progress have been made towards achieving the Government’s vision?Within the next five or so years, people should be able

to do the following:

- electronically register information with the Government - for example, births, deaths and marriages - at a time and place that suits them;- conduct their financial dealings with Government

organizations electronically;- complete and send all Government forms from

a single site on the Government’s Internet site;- have their say on a wide range of Government

proposals and policies through the Internet;- have confidence that effective controls backed

up by good legislation will safeguard privacy;- benefit from the reduced costs and time

involved in property transactions because land survey and title information are available electronically, and transactions can be registered the same way;- Notify changes of address, so that one entry on

the Internet can ensure multiple Government agencies are notified automatically.

***** Partially completed or to be completed by the end of 2006.

These five-year goals are examples of the types of benefits e-government will deliver to Antiguans and Barbudans. The technologies supporting these changes will develop continually.The Government’s role is to take charge and lead

those developments for the benefit of people rather than have those developments take charge.How does the E-government vision fit in with the

Government’s other social and economic goals?

The e-government vision supports two important goals. They are:* Restoring trust in Government and * Providing strong social servicesThe e-government vision will play an important role

in achieving this goal. It will: increase collaboration between Government organizations;- strengthen the relationship between people and the

State through greater opportunities for participation; and- provide the State sector with an opportunity to improve

the effectiveness and efficiency of their services to the public while, at the same time, reducing the cost of delivery.Those three factors will help restore trust in Government

and provide strong social services.* Helping grow an inclusive, innovative economy for

the benefit of allThe e-government vision is all about inclusion - the ability

of all people to take part in our economy. It also fits well with similar developments in business and commerce. Together, e-government, e-business and e-commerce will play an important role in the development of our economy based on the combined impact of the knowledge and skills of all Antiguans and Barbudans.E-government will be an example of an innovative use

of developing technologies. E-government will provide an important means of helping present and future Antiguans and Barbudans to understand and use tools of vital importance to the economic and social prosperity of individual citizens and the nation as a whole.

CONCLUSIONThe Government of Antigua & Barbuda has taken a

bold step in its push to implementing its Digital Agenda, and its efforts so far have moved it from the bottom of the ratings in e-government within the Caribbean to somewhere closer to the top of the countries within the region with an active and effective e-government vision, strategy and implementation. The efforts have caught the attention of the International community, which has risen to the challenge and fully supports the Government’s efforts and progress towards e-government solutions for national development, bridging the digital divide and upgrading the intellectual and technological capital of our people.The Government will continue to provide strong

leadership in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) as a means of national development for the benefit of its people and the Nation as a whole.

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The Telecommunications Division is a department within the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting & Telecommunications. Clement Samuel, Telecommunications Officer, along

with the other Telecommunications Division staff, administer the telecommunications laws of Antigua & Barbuda. Telecommunications Consultant,

Delreo Newman, speaking during the launch of the 2006 ICTFEST, revealed the particulars of the reform taking place in the telecommunications sector. According to Newman,

the liberalization of the telecommunications sector will shortly see an end to the monopoly on external telecommunications held by Cable and Wireless. The exclusive monopoly license, issued by the previous administration, gave Cable and Wireless exclusive rights to the external telecommunications field for a 25-year period that would have ended in 2012. Newman states that the Telecommunications Division

is laying the groundwork for the creation of a new telecommunications policy which is paving the way for new legislation and regulatory reform. Under this new policy, Antiguans and Barbudans will be

provided with the opportunity to invest in and access particular services in the telecommunications field. The rights of the consumer will also be considered under the new telecommunications regulatory framework along with opportunities for a truly competitive environment. Tariffs will be regulated in such a way that the consumer

will not have to pay too high a price for service. According to the Minister of Information, Broadcasting

and Telecommunications, Hon. Dr. Edmond Mansoor, the Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda will soon pass a new Telecommunications Act to replace the existing Act which dates back to 1951.

The Telecommunications Division is involved in administering and executing the Government’s telecommunication policies in the performance of its daily regulatory and licensing functions in Antigua & Barbuda. These responsibilities encompass but are not limited to that of:•Managing the radio frequency spectrum;• Administering the National Numbering

Plan;• Enforcing rules and regulations according

to the Telecommunications Act in addition to investigating and monitoring the performance

of the various telecommunication operators and service providers;• Investigate and resolve disputes, adjudicate

controversies between competitors or between service providers and users due to perceived non-compliance with the telecommunications act;• Imposing penalties on violators of the

telecommunication legislation;• Issuance, renewal and revocation of licenses; these

actions are taken subsequent to verifying the timely payment or non-payment of requisite fees into the Inland Revenue Department or imposed as penalties for those in violation of their licensing rights and privileges; and• Protecting the rights and privileges of the various

telecommunication consumers/users.

Telecommunications Division: Transforming Antigua and Barbuda into a Digitally Driven Society

Clement SamuelTelecommunications OfficerTelecommunications Division

Students at the Green Bay Primary School surfing the Internet at the Grays Green Community Computer Access Center. To ensure the maximum possible utilization and benefit from these CACs, the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and Telecommunications is developing a comprehensive Community Technology Training Programme through a Community Technology Training Unit at the IT Center.

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The telecommunications and ICT sectors in Antigua and Barbuda are to benefit from new undersea fiber optic cables, that are expected to be landed and lit by December, 2006.In May, 2006 the cable laying ship, the Peter Faber, pulled up in the St. John’s Deep Water Harbour after undertaking

ocean survey work for Southern Caribbean Fiber, a company owned by the French Group Loret, which is planning to land and operate an undersea fiber optic cable in Antigua.The ship, owned by the French Group Alcatel Submarine Network, had by May completed more than 95% of the

ocean survey work. The fiber optic cable will be manufactured to meet the rugged requirements of sitting on the ocean floor for about twenty-five years.Minister of State with responsibility for Information, Broadcasting and Telecommunications, the Honourable

Dr. Edmond Mansoor, toured the ship along with the Telecommunications Consultant, Delreo Newman, Telecommunications Officer, Clement Samuel and the Director of the Information Technology Center, Dr. Patrick Lay.The fiber optic cables that currently come ashore in Antigua are owned by Cable and Wireless and form part of

the Cable and Wireless monopoly infrastructure. Following the tour of the ship, Minister Mansoor said: “In a monopoly environment, telecommunications and ICT

costs tend to remain artificially high. The landing of additional undersea fiber optic cables will ensure greater connectivity, which in turn would provide tremendous economic opportunity. By licensing more than one submarine fiber optic cable operator, the Government is giving effect to extending ICTs throughout Antigua and Barbuda”.“Affordability and accessibility to cell phones and cable TV continue to increase. With the impending end of the

monopoly on external telecommunications by Cable and Wireless, Antiguans and Barbudans will see significant reductions in the cost of international telephone calls. The landing of additional cables will also result in enhanced and more cost effective broadband networks”.

Telecommunications & ICT Sectors to Benefit from New Fiber Optic Cables

Hon. Dr. Edmond Mansoor being briefed on the completion of the ocean survey work by Soren Andersen, Captain of the “Peter Faber”, the fibre optic cable laying ship. Looking on is a senior officer from the ship.

Government is committed to providing e-services to Antiguans and Barbudans on a 24 hour basis. This committment is matched by the deployment of state of the art technology in the IT Center. In 2006, the IT Center, under the leadership of its Director, Dr. Patrick Lay, commissioned a fourth layer of back-up power to ensure that the data centre is not compromised during power outages. Pictured to the left turning on the power supply unit are (L to R): A representative of American Power Corporation (APC); Salomon Doumith, CEO of Antigua Computer Technology Co. Ltd. (ACT) ; Dr. Patrick Lay and Hon. Dr. Edmond Mansoor, Minister of State with responsibility for the IT Center

The “One Laptop per Child” initiative, the brainchild of Professor Nicholas Negroponte of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was the subject of a full length presentation by Professor Negroponte recently at the Organisation of American States (OAS) sponsored Private Sector Forum in the Dominican Republic. This forum was a prelude to the OAS General Assembly.The Government of Antigua and Barbuda was represented by Hon. Dr. Edmond Mansor, Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister and Her Excellency Ambassador Debra-Mae Lovell, Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the USA.Pictured above discussing the “One Laptop per Child” model computer are Dr. Mansoor, Ambassador Lovell and the Secretary-General of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union, Bernadette Lewis.

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Basic telecommunication services have traditionally been regulated, largely because they perform a role of public utility. A public utility is a service, which may be considered as meeting a general public need. If, the service depends on the use of a limited resource such as network availability, there has to be an access mechanism, which corresponds to the utility that each consumer can derive from the use of the service. This is usually price-oriented; the economic agents or consumers will adjust their demand such that the price will come into line with the level of utility of the service.The opening of the

telecommunication market to more than one operator offering the same service in a given geographical area brings with it a competitive mechanism that tends to have a price-regulating effect. That is, the Government no longer has to worry if the best prices are being charged for that service.However, there are still

situations that may exist that would require tariff regulations for reasons of public utility, mainly when there are distortions in the competitive market environment. The classical example of this is when there is only one telecommunications operator or where cross subsidies, or tariff rebalancing is involved. Once a real price of the service has been determined as a

function of the cost of the resources needed to implement it, one of the following situations occurs: the service is charged at cost, above cost or below cost.Whenever a tariff is set above cost, this limits consumption on

the part of the consumer whose need for the service is greater than cost, but below the tariff, thereby limiting consumption on the part of consumers that could make efficient use of the service causing distortions with respect to an economic optimum.The opposite situation favors consumption by those users

whose needs are less than the cost and greater than the current tariff, creating inefficient consumption of the service and therefore also causing distortions.The existence of cross-subsidies between services creates

a concomitance of both situations, in which some types of consumption are favored to the detriment of others.Maximum economic effectiveness is achieved by charging

for the service at cost in order to maintain the financial balance of the service provider, and allowing, within the same sector, each of the agents to adjust its needs to the level of this cost-based tariff.How do cross- subsidies exist? Cross-subsidies usually exist

between services when one service is provided below cost and another above cost. This creates a subsidy, which crosses from one service to the other. There cannot be a cross-subsidy between services unless there are at least two individualized and distinct services. Therefore, this means that there cannot be cross-subsidies between two identical services.In general, the costs of telecommunication services have two

components, a switching component and an outside plant component. Switching costs are the same for a given service for all the users because they potentially use the entire network’s switching equipment. The situation seems to be different for outside plant costs. Each user has a specific outside plant cost because it has a specific geographic location. Therefore, the total cost (including both components) of a given service is specific to each user. This means that the same service charged at

cost could be equivalent to several distinct tariffs, according to the user.Practically the situation is clear; there would be the effect of

charging a given service at a different tariff for each user. This method of estimating cost is inhomogeneous, since the notion that the switching costs are the same for a specific service for all users implies symmetry in the switching costs of the users outgoing and incoming traffic. This in turn makes it necessary to account for all the switching equipment needed by the provider and to evaluate the cost on the basis of this equipment. By individualizing each user’s outside plant equipment as a function of geographic location, a dissymmetry is created between the cost of the traffic received and the traffic emitted by a given user, because the cost would be a function of the outside plant cost of the user who emits the traffic. The fact that the users have different outside plant costs means that the cost of the traffic emitted by them is different; in other words this would for a given user result in dissymmetry between the costs of the outgoing and the incoming traffic.In order to maintain symmetry between both costs, we have to

consider the cost of the outside plant required for the provision of a given service, and on the basis of this, derive the outside plant cost of providing the service. This means that there will be only one total cost for the same service, which ensures that two different users located anywhere will pay the same tariff.This concept cannot be considered to be a cross-subsidy

between services, because one service is not provided below cost while another is provided above cost. Rather, it is a method

A Basic Guide to the Setting of Prices for Telecommunication Services by Delreo Newman

Telecommunications Consultant Telecommunications Division

Delreo NewmanTelecommunications ConsultantTelecommunications Division

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of evaluating the costs of a given service taking into account the fact that each customer potentially uses all of the elements of the same network (switching and plant) required to perform a given service, either to access another user (traffic emitted by the user) or so that other users can communicate with him (traffic received by the user). Cost symmetry is thus maintained for incoming and outgoing traffic for a given service at each point of a given network. The costs of a given service are distributed according to the same principle for all the users.

Consequently, a cost-based tariff ensures that the same tariff is charged to all users for a given service ensuring universality regardless of the customer’s location. In conclusion, it is important to note that cross-subsidies are

not good even though it may favour some consumers, and that regulators have the difficult task of ensuring that consumers get the best possible deal in the absence of competition.

The IT Center has �spreadsheets. The services of the documentation center are available to all Government divisions and departments, particularly those that need to digitize and safely store important records an�documents.

Minister of State with responsibility for Information, Broadcasting and Telecommunications, Hon. Dr. Edmond Mansoor makes a point about the development of Community Access Centers during the recent launch of the Grays Green Community CAC. Listening are (L to R): Salomon Doumith, CEO of Antigua Computer Technology Co. Ltd. (ACT) ; Clement Samuel, Telecommunications Officer; and Darren Derrick, General Manager, Digicel Antigua

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No one can argue that global trends now call for all countries, regardless of

size, to make every effort to develop their ICT capabilities. The only obstacle,

however, is that this type of development requires a tremendous input of

finances and human resources.

How should small island entities, like our twin island nation, approach this

challenge? There are many answers to this question depending on the responder’s

background. Since I am in education, however, I would like to narrow my brief

discussion to some issues that stakeholders in the education sector have raised

as they relate to the development of ICT in Education.

Here are some of the questions that have been posed in different fora:

1. Would placing computers in schools make the role of the teacher

redundant?

2. Given the cost of ICT tools and personnel, should any investment be made to develop the area in

education, when there are many other basic needs that must be addressed urgently?

3. Should computers be placed in the classroom rather than in a laboratory?

4. At what level in the school system should ICT be introduced to students?

5. Should ICT be integrated in the basic education curriculum rather than be taught as a subject area?

6. Should Education Management be enhanced by the introduction of ICTs when evidence suggests that

a manual system has not yet been perfected?

These are just some of the thought provoking issues that have been circulating among stakeholders in education.

What are the answers?

I believe that it is reasonable to conclude that ICT is here to stay and will continue to revolutionize the way the

entire world does business. With this established, it means that all education systems must rise to the challenge of

preparing their students to be conversant with the technology or face extinction. The three R’s have now evolved,

and I would like to suggest that we should consider a broader definition of literacy rather than limit ourselves to

the basic educational requirements of reading, (w)‘riting and (a)’rithmetic. Students who will succeed in the new

globalized world are now required to be ‘literate’ in numeracy, communication and digital technology.

Does this only apply to students? I think not! The reality is that the ready availability of information as a result of

technological advances has changed the role of the teacher significantly. No longer is the teacher viewed as the

only fountain of knowledge in the classroom, but s/he has now taken on the role of a facilitator of learning. The

teacher is now a mentor who guides student discovery as the student navigates the expanding world of information

available to them. More than ever, the teacher is a resource person whose experiences and example, rather

than content, are of greater benefit to the student. Does this mean that the teacher is no longer required? I would

agree with those who shout a resounding ‘No!” The teacher is not redundant! The teacher is now required to guide

the student through the maze of abundant information that is now available and which must be sifted, tested

and examined to determine its authenticity and truthfulness. It, therefore, means that teachers themselves must

become conversant with ICT.

by Anne Jonas Executive Assistant Ministry of Education

Anne JonasExecutive Assistant, Ministry of Education

ICTs in Education

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While I may not have directly answered all of the questions asked above, I believe that I have provided a hint as to

what my answers would be. What therefore is the next step? I believe that we can safely say, that based on knowledge

of our local situation, no one entity – private or public - can provide all the requirements for implementation of the

activities needed to bring about the desired change in ICT in Education. We MUST, therefore, all work together to

bring about the transformation that will summersault our citizens into the next era.

My encouragement to you is to give full consideration as to how you can make a difference – whether by

becoming a student of ICT or by contributing to its development by giving your services, time or money.

Join us now as we work together to develop Antigua and Barbuda through ICT.

Steering Committee (from L – R) Front: Anthea Adams, Michele Michael, Anne Jonas, Clement Samuel, Arlene Weste, Sandra Tucker, Alison Williams, Eibur Spencer Back: Malcolm Charles

Speakers at the ICTFEST 2006 Interactive Forum L to R: Dr. Patrick Lay, Director, IT Center; Darren Derrick, General Manager, Digicel Antigua; Hon. Dr. Edmond Mansoor, Minister of State (Information, Broadcasting and Telecommunications); Hon. Baldwin Spencer, Prime Minister; His Excellency Dr. Gordon Shirley, Jamaica’s Ambassador to the USA; Dr. Vincent Richards, Chairman, Richards and Associates

ICTFEST 2006 COMMITTEE

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