Gobiernos del Caribe Oriental impulsan proyecto regional de telecomunicaciones
St Lucia, St Vincent, Grenada collaborate to improve regional telecoms
Governments of the Eastern Caribbean have taken a significant step toward harmonising their countries’ investments in telecommunications infrastructure. A regional project, called the Caribbean Regional Communications Infrastructure Programme (CARCIP), is bridging the gaps in regional broadband communications development.
High-ranking officials from Saint Lucia, Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines are meeting this week with officials from the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL) and the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) to share insights into how each country is tackling the region-wide challenge of developing its telecommunications infrastructure.
The high-level meeting, organised by the CTU as part of CARCIP, is taking place in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, from February 3 to 4.
“On the surface, the project targets the establishment and improvement of the region’s physical communication networks. But the real issue is the major benefit that greater quality and affordability can bring to the region’s governments, health centres, schools, universities, national emergency communications networks and so on,” said Selby Wilson, telecommunications strategist, CTU.
CARCIP takes a comprehensive approach to the development of countries’ broadband communications infrastructure. The World Bank-funded project addresses gaps in submarine cable infrastructure and landing stations, domestic backbone networks and national Internet exchange points (IXPs).
“Bringing the territories and the regional institutions together at the table is just the first step. The ultimate aim is a comprehensive, region-wide approach to the development of the telecommunications networks of the Caribbean. The lessons that we learn here will be of real value to the entire region,” said Junior McIntyre, the project coordinator for the CTU.
