USF facilitating technology expansion across Ja
KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) – Since its establishment in 2005, the Universal Service Fund (USF) has generated over $13 billion in revenue from international telephone calls terminating in Jamaica, which has financed the expansion of islandwide access to information and communications technology (ICT).
This engagement has been undertaken through the implementation of several pivotal initiatives, notably the Community Access Points (CAP) project, on which approximately $900 million has been spent to establish 227 such facilities, islandwide.
Other initiatives include: the Tablets in Schools Programme; wireless service for the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus, St Andrew; and the provision of other technology- related services to the Jamaica Library Service (JLS), Court Management Services (CMS), disabled community, and Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), among others.
Science, Technology, Energy, and Mining Minister, Hon. Phillip Paulwell, who has portfolio responsibility for the USF, has praised the entity’s contribution, describing it as “tremendous.”
Speaking at the USF’s recent 10th anniversary awards ceremony, at the Terra Nova Hotel in St Andrew, Paulwell pointed out that the entity has also facilitated the provision of information technology in all public libraries; and approximately 40 post offices, while adding that “we are doing work with the health services, the constabulary force, and the school system.”
Paulwell reassured that the administration remains committed to further increasing technology access across Jamaica, pointing out that greater bandwidth will contribute significantly to increasing the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Special awards were presented to the USF’s Financial Controller, Violet Badroe, and Human Resource and Administrative Manager, Juliet Salmon, during the ceremony, for long service to the entity.