St Kitts and Nevis to host ICT Week

When a high-level group of Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) members meet in St Kitts and Nevis from September 22 to 26 September, the challenge of regulating over-the-top (OTT) Internet-based services will no doubt be a main point of focus. In one important forum, a discussion on OTT services will bring ministers from different Caribbean nations up-to-date on the issues surrounding this type of service. The need for stronger, more coordinated regional Internet governance practices was first highlighted in July after mobile phone users in Haiti, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago were affected by a move by two major Caribbean mobile providers to block access to OTT telephony services—including several popular Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) applications.

The week will also include a two-day workshop on cyber security, which will focus on how Caribbean countries can create Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRT) to respond to the threat of digital breaches. The workshop is being facilitated by the Organisation of American States, with the financial support of the Government of Canada.

Another workshop will target senior public officers with responsibility for national information and communications technology (ICT) policy. Participants will learn how to find and deal with gaps in their policy frameworks or in some cases how to go about developing such policies. The training will be led by two experts from Ernst and Young Caribbean, based in T&T, Dr. Arnold Niranjan and Devindra Ramnarine.

Hosted by the government of St Kitts and Nevis and the CTU, the ICT Week will include the 17th General Conference of Ministers with responsibility for ICT in the CTU Member States. It also includes the 29^th meeting of the CTU’s Executive Council, a body made up of permanent secretaries from ministries in the region that deal with technology. The Council has oversight responsibility for the work of the CTU Secretariat.

At this year’s meeting, Bernadette Lewis, Secretary General of the CTU, will present to the meeting her report on the CTU's performance and its progress on ongoing projects. Lewis’ is the tough but necessary task of steering the CTU’s efforts in creating a harmonised approach to Caribbean telecommunications development, a major issue facing the region’s technology and telecommunications sectors. In her presentation, she will update members on how the work of the CTU has advanced since the previous council meeting, held in  Suriname on April 8 to 9.

The CTU’s efforts in Caribbean Internet governance have been longstanding. Established in 1989 by Caricom heads of government in Nassau, the CTU in 2005, under Secretary General Lewis, initiated the Caribbean Internet Governance Forum (CIGF), the world’s first regional multi-stakeholder Internet governance forum, established as a result of the World Summit of the Information Society (Geneva 2003 to Tunis 2005). Regional forums of this kind now take place in all other parts of the world.

The ICT Week comes on the heels of a symbolic return to Bahamas, where delegates participated in the 10th CIGF from August 6 to 8.

Curacao to host CaribNOG 8/LACNIC Caribbean 6

One of the largest gatherings of the Caribbean Internet community will take place in Curacao in a few weeks. In September, the Caribbean Network Operators Group (CaribNOG) and the Latin American and Caribbean Internet Addresses Registry (LACNIC) will co-host a regional forum where important issues related to the future of the Internet at a regional and global level will be discussed.

CaribNOG 8/LACNIC Caribbean 6 will provide a forum for technology industry specialists to meet, network and get specialised training. The highly-anticipated event is widely regarded as a solutions-oriented forum for regional technology professionals to share relevant knowledge, deepen practical understanding and develop new skills.

The week of meetings draws on the strength of two organisations that are committed to advancing Internet development in the region. CaribNOG has earned a reputation as a place to exchange information related to the management of Internet and telecommunications networks in the region. LACNIC, an international non-government organisation, is one of the five Regional Internet Registries that exist worldwide.

Cyber security, Internet exchange points, data centres, cloud computing and critical Internet infrastructure are among the main topics to be presented by a slate of experts that includes Carlos Martínez (LACNIC), Bevil Wooding (PCH), Mark Kosters (ARIN), Arturo Servin (Google Inc.), Claire Craig (UWI), Steve Spence (Arkitechs), Alejandro Acosta (LACNIC), Stephen Lee (Arkitechs).

The regional event takes place with the support of the wider global Internet community. Among its main sponsors are the Amsterdam Internet Exchange (Ams-IX), the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN), the Caribbean Telecommunications Union, Columbus Communications, Google, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the Internet Society, the Brazilian Network Information Center (NIC.br) and Microsoft.

CaribNOG 8/LACNIC Caribbean 6 will be held from September 29 to October 3 at Hilton Curaçao Resort Hotel, Willemstad.

“Curacao is a very appropriate location for this event,” said Stephen Lee, one of the main organisers.

The island is one of the few in the Caribbean that has developed its Internet infrastructure to the extent that it is able offer data centre services to a global market, including the southern and eastern Caribbean.

“Technology-based services are an important part of the economy. They have modern high-speed connectivity, and there are some major fibre connections into the island that enable them to support the delivery of those services.”

More information is available on the official event website.

Call For Participants: CARCIP Funds Youth ICT Skills Programme

CASTRIES, Saint Lucia—Applications are invited for entry into the CARCIP Information Communication Technology (ICT) Skills Development programme.

The programme will provide free training and certification to unemployed youth between the ages of 17 -35 years in the following areas:

Photography, Database Management, Systems Analysis and Design, Internet Security, Multimedia Production/Animation, Application Development, Computer Graphics, Automotive Technology, End Point Maintenance & Repair, and Information Communication Technology/ IT Management.

To encourage islandwide participation, training will be offered at select training institutions in the north and south of the island.

Eligible persons must be holders of a minimum of three CXC’s or have at least one year of working experience in the course of interest. Applicants must also meet the specific requirements of the selected programme.

The CARCIP Skills Development Programme is currently being implemented by the Ministry of Public Service, Information & Broadcasting in collaboration with the TVET Unit, Ministry of Education. The programme is part of the Government’s overall strategy to increase economic growth through the enhancement of productivity and technical expertise within the local ICT sector.

Application kits as well as course information are available on the CARCIP website. Spaces are limited so please apply early.

For further information contact us at 468-4977, email info.carcip@govt.lc or visit the CARCIP office at the National ICT Center on Bourbon St., Castries.