PRESIDENT of Cable & Wireless Jamaica Jacqueline Holding last night urged the 35 member countries of the Caribbean Association of Telecommunications Organisations (CANTO) to become the driving force for increased access to information and communication technology (ICT) for the region’s young people.

Addressing the official opening of CANTO’s 21st annual general meeting at the Hilton Hotel in Kingston, Holding told the representatives from the 35 Caribbean, Central and South America countries that there was no doubt that ICT was the transforming technology of the present age, with immense capability which can transform societies and lead to long-term economic and social improvement.

However, she said, its potential in the Caribbean was still hugely under-exploited and the young people of the region must be equipped to take full advantage of the global opportunities that these technologies present.

The C&WJ CEO pointed out that if the region were to be able to fully harness the potential of ICT, the thinking in this area would have to radically transformed.

“We can no longer think in terms of step changes; there has to be a paradigm shift, and it must begin with how we facilitate access,” said Holding.

Cable & Wireless, she added, had already begun to provide opportunities for young people across the Caribbean through a variety of ways, including free Internet access for schools, donations of computers and through employee volunteers who taught and trained youngsters.

“My Challenge to all CANTO members this evening is that you join Cable & Wireless in this endeavour. Let us join forces and pool our not-insignificant resources and become advocates for this cause. Let us organise to better lobby as a group to get more computers and other access devices at reasonable prices for our schools at all levels,” she said.

The working sessions of the CANTO meeting will take place today and tomorrow, during which the organisation will seek to develop policy positions on matters affecting the industry throughout the region.

Among the issues down for consideration by CANTO delegates are the implications for telecommunications on the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME); spectrum allocation for new technologies, disaster preparedness and response; liberalisation in the telecommunications sector and opportunities for organisational strengthening.

The meeting is being hosted by Cable & Wireless Jamaica.