PM: Internet to cover entire country

Rishard Khan

THE Prime Minister wants the internet to be available across the entire country, citing the numerous benefits it has for transformation.

In his address at the Carenage Police Youth and Homework Centre on Friday, Dr Rowley said his administration had taken a whole government approach to digital transformation.

"We took the whole-of-government approach...aiming to have internet service across the nation. Have it in virtually every location. Make it available to be used by all those who have something to do. It will make managers more efficient. It...makes time more valuable, and things can be done faster. The storage of data, the accessing of data, the manipulation of data, all of these things can be significantly improved for the benefit...of Trinidad and Tobago."

Citing his wonder as a child at comic character Dick Tracy's watch, he said developments in the internet and technology could change the landscape of TT.

"It's no longer the magnificence of Dick Tracy talking and receiving voice communications on his wristwatch. It is now every single thing that you do, you can do through internet action.

"Not all may be good as you would have seen this week. But there is a huge amount of transformational activity that will transform the country. That's why we have a Ministry of Digital Transformation."

He said the ministry was working closely with Estonia, a country with a similar population size, and had achieved what the government wanted to do. He said Digital Transforrmation Minister Hassel Bacchus had visited the country and engaged in training.

He said officials had also visited countries like India and China to learn more about modern technology.

"We are learning these technologies and we are introducing them in TT."

Rowley was speaking at a ceremony where Huawei handed over a Huawei Ideahub Interactive Smart Board, 50 tablets and one year of sponsored internet service to the homework centre.

Huawei president to the Caribbean Daniel Zhou said he hoped the donation would help the government to end "technology poverty," especially among the youth.

"Some children cannot complete the online learning at home due to not having access to technology at their home. We hope that they can come here and use the Ideahub for online learning, and the tablets can be used for their homework or for research while gaining useful technology skills. Not only this, but also having technology at this centre also helps those who teach these youths and others, to use more interactive learning techniques." Commenting on the donation, Rowley said it now helps make the country "part of a fast-moving, hugely interconnected world."