(L-R: Senator the Hon. Dr. Edmond Mansoor, Minister of State for Telecommunications & Mr. John Delves, General Manager for Digicel North Eastern Caribbean)
Digicel, in partnership with the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, announced details of a new initiative which will deliver world class Broadband Internet service for free to communities and schools across the twin-island Nation at a Gala Launch at the Multipurpose Cultural & Exhibition Centre, Perry Bay, St. Johns, Antigua. The event, with over 300 attendees, was broadcast live on ABS TV and covered by local media.
The initiative – entitled “Technology for Communication, Education and Empowerment” – is a joint initiative between Digicel and the Government of Antigua and Barbuda and will use Wi-Fi technology to bring Broadband Internet into 3,000 homes across the communities of Grays-Green, Yorks and Lower Gambles, as well as more than 5,000 Secondary School students. Digicel is partnering with the Government to provide community computer access centres in twelve Secondary schools, which will include the physical infrastructure as well as the furniture and air-conditioning. Each of these community access centres will accommodate at least 20 students.
The initiative will significantly increase that number of individuals and households with regular access to the Internet as schools, homes and villages get connected for the first time. With the results of a recent study undertaken by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), stating that more effort was needed to increase Internet access in homes and schools throughout the world, this latest move will prove momentous for Antigua and Barbuda. Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database.
In support of the development of information and communication technologies in Antigua and Barbuda, Digicel will also be the Platinum sponsor of the annual ICTFest, for the next five years, until 2014. The ICTFest showcases the latest in technological developments and innovative products and will take place this year on Wednesday, October 6th.
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In a brief message to mark the occasion, Prime Minister Dr. Baldwin Spencer said that the new initiative represents his Government’s “unswerving commitment to ensuring that every citizen is equipped with ICT skills”, while Minister of Information, Broadcasting, Telecommunications, Science and Technology Dr. Edmond Mansoor, stated that “in building a truly Intelligent Nation, the Government is working towards ensuring that every home and every office is equipped with a personal computer and high-speed Internet.”
Antigua and Barbuda's Minister of Education, Sports, Youth and Gender Affairs, Dr Jacqui Quinn-Leandro, said; “We are delighted to be announcing the details of this groundbreaking joint initiative between the Government and Digicel. The importance of bringing people online is widely recognised and where access to the internet is low, it is particularly important for countries to invest in public access. As such, we are proud to be leading the way in connecting 15,000 Antiguans in their communities and schools for the first time.”
Digicel General Manager for the North-Eastern Caribbean, John Delves, said; “Digicel is continually looking at ways to give back to the communities in which it operates and this latest initiative is a perfect opportunity to do just that. We are very excited to be rolling out Wi-Fi technology and connecting the schools, homes and villages of Antigua and Barbuda to the internet for the very first time. Digicel has long recognised the positive impact to the economies of countries of improving ICT services. Indeed, recent research from the Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich supports this, stating that a 10% increase in broadband penetration can help to raise annual per capita GDP growth by 0.9 to 1.5 percentage points. With that, we are very excited to see how this development will change and enhance the way people communicate at home & how teenagers learn at school. This joint initiative will have a very positive impact for the people of Antigua and Barbuda as a whole.”
Commencing in October, the roll out of the services is set to be completed by December 2010.
