In a couple months, St. Maarten will be the venue for an Information and Telecommunications Communications (ICT) Roadshow, an existing program being carried out by the Caribbean Telecommunication Union (CTU).
The aim of this roadshow is to harmonize approaches in telecommunications development and to promote the general awareness of telecommunication technologies in the region.
The theme of the ICT roadshow is: "Harnessing the Power of Innovation: The Engine for ICT-enabled development."
Representatives of the telecommunications union Bernadette Lewis CTU Secretary General and Bevil Wooding CTU Program Director came to St. Maarten to inspect the venues and to meet with stakeholders.
Coordinating the event will be the chairperson of the organizing committee Peggy Ann Brandon, Departments of Economic Policy and Research represented by Head Lucy Gibbs and Wendy Jack and the St. Maarten Tourism Bureau Section Head Gus Priest and Lisa Noel.
The CTU’s mission is essentially "to optimize returns from ICT resources for the benefit of stakeholders," Lewis said. In addition, the aim is to show, inform and education the end users on the extensive tools they have in information technology.
St. Maarten, as a member of the CTU, was requested to host the Roadshow as most of the CTU members have done over the past years.
The Roadshow will take the form of a series of country visits across the region, designed to foster a spirit of innovation in the development of ICT, based on practical solutions, to raise awareness and to encourage coordination of efforts in the adoption of ICT solutions for inclusive economic and social development, Lewis said.
The road show is scheduled to take place on St. Maarten around mid August, 2010.
The ICT Roadshow program consists of lectures, presentations, technology demonstrations/ exhibitions, hands-on workshops, case studies, showcase of ICT innovation, youth-focused programs and stake holder’s consultations in the field of Telecommunication.
Designed to be educational and structured, the ICT Roadshow encourages interactive participation and free exchange of ideas, knowledge and experiences from all sectors and stakeholders of the Caribbean.
The ICT Road Show is in its 20th year, previous hosts include St Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, Antigua & Barbuda and Curacao.