JAMAICANS are being urged to seize the opportunities being afforded to them through the Internet as the technology ministry provides the necessary access.

This was the charge laid to a group of St Mary residents by Technology Minister Daryl Vaz at the Universal Service Fund’s (USF) Port Maria public Wi-Fi launch recently held at Claude Stuart Park.

“We want Jamaica to become a nation that embraces innovation, a nation that leverages the power of technology to generate income and boost employment and productivity,” said Vaz.

The Wi-Fi technology that was launched by the USF extends beyond the park to the town of Port Maria and can facilitate up to 500 users simultaneously. It is also the second public Wi-Fi in the parish as Annotto Bay was launched in 2020.

The free public Wi-Fi is an added feature of Claude Stuart Park which was renovated in 2019 and is the home of the Port Maria Parish Library. It is visited by many students, residents and tourists alike.

Mayor of Port Maria Richard Creary was elated about the access to technology being afforded to the residents of Port Maria as he had been advocating for this infrastructure for years.

In his address Creary advised the residents, “Please utilise the facility of the public Wi-Fi…use it positively, use it for good purposes, and continue to enjoy the Claude Stuart Park.”

According to Kwan Wilson, director of projects at USF in addition to the two public Wi-Fi hotspots now launched in the parish, nine community Wi-Fi locations have been established across the three constituencies. Additionally, twelve community access points and seven government institutions have been connected via the island’s broadband Internet projects.

The Port Maria public Wi-Fi launch was in keeping with the USF’s 17th anniversary celebrations under the theme, ‘Broadening Access Through the use of Technology’.