Telecom sector to open up next year

GOVERNMENT has again reiterated that it will open up the telecommunications market next year to introduce “full competition and reduce the cost, improve quality and provide faster and easier access to the Internet.”

Public Administration and Information Minister Dr Lenny Saith yesterday made the disclosure in a statement in the Senate, where he laid Trinidad and Tobago’s National Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Strategy, “Connecting the Future.” The opening up of the telecom market is one of the highlights of the ICT. In laying the document, Saith said the “plan was overdue and comes at a time when ICT has already taken root in TT in both the public and private sectors.”

Other highlights of the plan are the introduction of high speed Internet service in 636 schools, computers in all libraries by 2007, as well as 50 percent of companies using the Internet as a business tool. By 2005, the Minister envisions that all Government information would be available on-line, and he assured that a range of tax and other fiscal incentives to encourage computer ownership by the public and business community would be introduced. He said Government was convinced that the plan would diversify the country’s economy with the introduction of new industries and increased competition in the sector, as well as provide new jobs.

Saith said measures would also be put in place to generate a whole new range of downstream activity in the ICT sector and provide significant growth opportunities for local suppliers of computers, software, Internet, as well as other services. He said employment rates would increase as the refurbishment and maintenance programme for computers in schools, community access centres and new business becomes reality.