Trinidad and Tobago must keep up its digitisation drive

Trinidad and Tobago must continue its drive to digitisation has it moves toward a post-pandemic economy, experts said Thursday at the launch of a two-day technology conference that takes place in July.

PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Caribbean digital services leader Zia Paton said as the country continues to emerge from the pandemic, it must continue to drive change as it transitions toward the fourth industrial revolution.

“While covid19 has propelled that ‘constructive impatience’ because we had to adapt, as we continue through the pandemic, that has to remain. Every one of us has to continue to contribute to solving problems, but being impatient when things are not moving in the direction they need to.”

She said investing in people is one of the key facets of the PwC strategy.

Paton spoke at the launch of the Tech Hub Islands Summit (T.H.I.S) 2022 to hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce.

PwC, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Digicel Business, Republic Bank and Eximbank are sponsors of the summit which takes from July 6-8, with virtual and in-person sessions, at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain.

IDB country representative Carina Cockburn expressed gratitude for being part of the event, adding that the IDB has been supporting digital transition in Latin America and the Caribbean.

“In the public sector we have supported the digital transformation of tax administration in Brazil, promoting the adoption of electronic invoicing. In the Bahamas, we are boosting competitiveness by reducing the time and cost of carrying out administrative procedures.

"In Jamaica, we are working with the Public Sector Transformation Programme which has helped trim excesses from over 30 public bodies, already saving US$6.7 million, and in TT, we continue to strategically work with the government on its digital transformation action plan as the country is one of the first in the region to establish a Ministry of Digital Transformation,” she said.

Amcham CEO Nirad Tewarie thanked the sponsors for their continued support and welcomed Eximbank as new sponsor. He said the theme for this year’s conference will be Change in Action.

“We are so delighted to welcome back our title sponsor Republic Bank Ltd who reaffirm their commitment to this important venture by signing a three-year sponsorship contract,” he said. “We would also like to thank our platinum sponsors PWC, Digicel Business, Eximbank and IDB, for their continued support.”

He said speakers at the conference will include IBM’s chief innovation officer Dr Bernard S Meyerson, Google Cloud Solutions lead for infrastructure modernisation David White and senior VP and general manager, training and certification of the Linux Foundation, Clyde Seepersad. He added that more speakers will be announced as they come closer to the date of the event.