Bacchus re-elected president of Caribbean Telecommunications Union

MINISTER of Digital Transformation Hassel Bacchus has been re-elected president of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) during the ongoing regional meeting for information communications technology week in St Kitts and Nevis, which runs from September 30-October 5.

The CTU said in a media release on October 4: “Minister Bacchus' re-election as president of the CTU, signals continued progress in fostering collaboration among member states, ensuring that the Caribbean remains competitive in the global digital environment.
“During his continued tenure as president of the CTU, the focus will remain on innovation, inclusivity, and cybersecurity to empower the Caribbean in an increasingly connected world."

As president of the CTU, Bacchus delivered two keynote speeches during the 51st executive council statutory meeting and the 30th general conference of ministers.

Bacchus emphasised the importance of regional collaboration in the global digital landscape.

“The Caribbean cannot be a mere onlooker. Rather, we must be active innovators and contributors, ensuring that our regional priorities, unique perspectives and culture are safeguarded and prioritised at a global level.”

He said the establishment of a regional framework for ICT and digital transformation lends itself to greater investment, economies of scale, shared expertise and infrastructure and shared advocacy in regional and international forums. He said, in keeping with an agreement, the Port of Spain Commitment, signed in May last year, Trinidad and Tobago is finalising the development and roll-out of solutions that will form part of the regional digital ecosystem.

During the meetings, secretary general of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Doreen Bogdan-Marin said there should be a focus on strengthening the relationship between TT and the ITU. She identified key areas for collaboration, such as policy development for artificial intelligence and capacity in building cybersecurity.

Grenadian prime minister and chairman of Caricom Dickon Mitchell highlighted the importance of including ICT on matters such as optimising regional resources to enhance the work of relevant Caricom bodies. He said while Caribbean nations may be small, they have consistently demonstrated an ability to compete on a global scale.

He called for the development of a regional cloud strategy to promote collaboration, share resources and ensure business continuity.