Chief Sec urges Parlatuvier residents: Use internet access wisely

THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine has urged residents of Parlatuvier and its environs to use their new internet service responsibly.

On Tuesday, the Telecommunications Authority (TATT) launched its Universal Service Fund Broadband Infrastructure project at the Parlatuvier Multipurpose Facility for residents of the rural community and its surrounding areas. It is the first to be implemented in the country.

The project is being managed by Columbus Communications TT Ltd, commonly known as Flow.

Augustine, who is also the representative for Parlatuvier/Speyside/L’Anse Fourmi, told the residents they must use their newfound access wisely.

“I don’t want to see with this access, people cussing each other out on Facebook, people doing lives trying to outdo some of those violent characters they see down in Trinidad. That is not Tobago at all,” he said in an address.

“So we have a responsibility to raise the bar in terms of what we put out there about ourselves.”

Augustine said the high-speed internet access should not be used an opportunity to share the latest gossip on WhatsApp.

“It has to be more than being able to snap a picture and send it out on Facebook or on Twitter or Instagram or to post a picture video. It has to go beyond that.”

Saying parents also have a responsibility to their children, Augustine said parenting must go beyond the physical space to include the virtual world as well.

The advanced technology, he said, must also be used to enhance the area’s offerings, such as tourism.

In this regard, Augustine urged small guesthouse and villa operators to use the internet to promote their businesses.

“We need to have influencers sharing information now about what we have to offer in the area.”

Using the construction of the new Parlatuvier fishing depot as an example, he said: “Maybe using this access, you could say to the rest of the island when you have fish and what type of fish you have in real time. It is about a 25-30-minute drive from Scarborough, so people can come and eat fresh fish.”

With the new broadband service, Augustine said, community centres, schools and other public spaces will have internet access to facilitate residents who still may not be able to afford it at home.

Residents, he said, will also be able to reconnect with their loved ones who have moved out of the community.

Augustine also advised the residents to share their stories.

“Because I could tell you something – Parlatuvier, L’Anse Fourmi, Bloody Bay, you are far more blessed than you think, and they way you live is far more advantageous than you think. There is a world out there who would love to hear and see your stories and see how you live.”

He recalled people have often referred to the area as being behind God’s back.

“But with the coming of this access, you right in front of God’s face now.”

Saying the internet is often viewed with trepidation, especially among some senior citizens, Minister of Digital Transformation Hassel Bacchus urged residents to embrace the technology.

He told them it must not be used as a toy but as a mechanism to facilitate their growth and development.

Bacchus assured the broadband service will provide “a level and equalising playing field” for the residents.

TATT chairman Gilbert Peterson, SC, Rabindranath Maharaj, director of Technology Operations, Columbus Communications, and TATT CEO Cynthia Reddock-Downes also spoke.