Government leadership, dedicated budgetary allocations and a shift in mindset, are critical to bridge the current digital divide within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and between the Region and the rest of the world.
Dr. Barbara Reynolds, co-Chair of the CARICOM Digital Skills Task Force, stated in an interview that governments must take the lead, make resources available, and hold people accountable.
Chaired by Dr. Reynolds and Mr. Carlton Samuels, and comprising CARICOM Member States, regional and international entities, the Task Force was established in 2021 with the remit to study the digital skills environment in the Region, identify the potential for growth, document the gaps, make recommendations, and create a plan.
To fulfil its mandate, the Task Force consulted a wide range of stakeholders including youth, early adopters of technology and persons with disabilities.
Ministers of Education approved the final report of the Task Force last October at a meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) on Education. Their counterparts in Information and Communication Technologies will discuss the recommendations of that report and strategise on the way forward when they meet in a special session of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) on ICTs. The Hon. Dickon Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada, and lead Head of Government with responsibility for ICT in the CARICOM Quasi Cabinet, is expected to chair the meeting.
Dr. Reynolds spoke with the CARICOM Secretariat’s Communications Unit and provided insight into the Task Force’s recommendations and her views on shaping the Region’s digital outlook and development.
