CARICOM, IBM teams discuss private sector cooperation on Single ICT Space

IBM is a worldwide leading technology organisation and is the first regional service provider to meet with the CARICOM Secretariat to discuss issues related to opportunities for cooperation and corporate social responsibility in the development of the Single ICT Space. The CARICOM Secretariat has been emphasising partnerships as a critical component in the delivery of the goals as well as implementing the Single ICT Space Work Plan, with all stakeholders, including government, private sector, academia, and civil society, all citizens, as well as regional and international agencies. During the round table discussion, Ms. Jennifer Britton, Deputy Programme Manager, ICT for Development, spoke on behalf of the Secretariat. She highlighted the key initiatives of the Region that were integral to and dependent on the development of the Single ICT Space. These include the CSME, the Regional Strategic Plan, the Human Resource Development Strategy 2030, the Commissions on the Economy and Transport, the Action Plan on Statistics, and other sector-specific initiatives such as in Agriculture, Procurement and Finance. Big Data and the Internet of Things were also discussed at the half-day forum, as well as the critical need to be able to plan, mitigate and recover from disasters as quickly as possible, by utilising ICT Tools.