A bold, progressive plan of action to empower and employ more Haitians through greater access to the Internet and e-services is being put forward by Digicel.

Dubbed a ‘Digital Marshall Plan’, the company responsible for revolutionising Haiti’s telecommunications market in 2006 by providing cellphone access to a vast majority of citizens, is calling on industry lobby group, CANTO, to convince technology providers to assist.

The call was made by Digicel Haiti’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Gerard Laborde, while addressing the opening ceremony of the 32nd Annual General Meeting of CANTO in Port-au-Prince on Sunday.

He told the delegates that, similar to the Europeans who benefited from a development plan provided by the US after World War 2, Haiti needs a Digital Marshall Plan.

“We need to transform Haiti into a pilot project at the national level, and to achieve that goal we need the support and help of our Caribbean friends,” Laborde told the audience.

The core vision of the proposed Digital Marshall Plan includes Haitians having greater accessibility to the internet and more affordable web-enabled devices, connecting more citizens to digital work opportunities, online learning, e-health, e-government, e-commerce and e-banking services.

No target date has yet been set, but CANTO will again meet with the industry lobby group in Puerto Rico come July for its annual conference, with hopes that a statement will be made on the matter.

Digicel has so far invested more than US$1 billion to deliver a first-world telecommunications network in Haiti.

Laborde observed that while the technological train is gathering momentum, telecoms operators need to ensure that countries like Haiti are not left at the station.

Laborde added, “What we know for a fact is that Digicel and the other actors of the telecoms sector present in Haiti are willing to participate and accompany this Marshall Plan that we hope with all our heart to elaborate and apply together with you all. We have a dream and you can help us make it a reality.”