What a year we have had on the technology front. While 2020 demanded dramatic changes in how we all use technology, this past year pointed us to the future, which requires us to catch up on all those areas that seem intractable. The remaining gaps demand even more attention as we strive to catch up with the rest of the world and stake our claim as frontier leaders.

Our education sector still suffers from the absence of national Internet service to bridge the divide between the haves and have-nots. The associated lack of full deployment of tablets for all children means that some children are losing out on vital teaching. The Government and its agencies and stakeholders must move aggressively to fill these needs before we end up with a significant portion of our school-age children deprived through no fault of their own. The whole education system demands a major overhaul if we are to become resilient.

The adult population is particularly vulnerable as we respond to the pandemic’s changes and its response. The good news is that more and more services are available online, reducing the person-hours wasted at government agencies and business houses such as banks. Here is mainly the need for extensive public education, so the services are utilised effectively to benefit all age groups.

MSMEs continue to show resilience as more businesses develop their online presence. While this is heartening, several entrepreneurs still can’t see how they can thrive in an online environment. This sector requires critical attention should we hope to bolster our economic stability.

Large corporations deployed extensive resources to support work from home and tighten online security on the business front. These moves were none too soon in the face of increasing threats from nefarious actors, mainly from abroad, who succeeded in breaching some of the world’s leading businesses and government facilities. It is a fair warning for us in the region, who must not pretend that we are not susceptible to such attacks.

This brings us to training and the distinct requirements for building out a workforce equipped to provide the critical support for building and sustaining our technology platforms.

Training demands the same urgency as governments and the private sector recognised responding to COVID-19.

Many avenues are opening for specialised training for young people. Still, a large portion of our workforce is no longer young but must adapt to the technological demands in their workplaces. These workers must be sensitive to ensure that they are not afraid of the new tools critical to productivity.

We must also create an environment for innovation and draw on the sandbox concept to open up areas for experimentation and future deployment of sound systems.

The Bank of Jamaica’s pending deployment of a digital dollar is an excellent example to be mirrored in many areas. There should be no doubt that we have the mental capacity to respond to the technological demands of our times, and the Jamaica Technology and Digital Alliance stands ready to support any initiatives which will create advances on this country’s digital road map.

Stacey Hines, President of the Jamaica Technology and Digital Alliance