Friday, May 1 2009

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION Minister Kennedy Swaratsingh yesterday said a new information communication technologies (ICT) company will be formed to further develop this country’s ICT capabilities.

Swaratsingh said the company will be state-owned and will interface with the private sector to strengthen and expand the country’s ICT platform. He explained that Government will be able to draw on expertise from Singapore company ID International to develop the company through a recent memorandum of understanding, which was signed with the Singapore government.

He said operations will be bolstered by a “robust” legislative framework that will include the Data Protection Bill, Electronic Transactions Bill and a Cyber Security Bill.

The first two bills are currently before a parliamentary joint select committee. Swaratsingh was hopeful that a stronger ICT framework would be in place by year’s end. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Patrick Manning and Grenada PM Tillman Thomas identified ICT as an important industry which would help the Caribbean to weather the world financial crisis.