POLICY STATEMENTS

• ICT Policy for Jamaica. March 2011

Advancements in ICT have resulted in new methods of transmitting voice, data and video. Traditionally, there were separate types of networks used for the provision  of these services; specifically telephone (fixed and mobile), radio and cable television networks. Technological Conversion has transformed these traditional networks however into advanced Internet Protocol (IP) based networks capable of  providing a full range of products and services that are accessible via a wide range of devices from any location.
source: Government of Jamaica

• Jamaica’s Information Society Country Profile. ECLAC. November 2006

Jamaica’s development agenda includes a relevant role for Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) as enablers for improvement of public service, trade activities, competitiveness and the quality of life of its citizens.

The telecommunications market is fully liberalized, following a 3-phase process that started in 2000. In 2006, mobile penetration is estimated at 101% and a second Fibre-Optic international carrier became operational. This has reduced Internet prices, broadband included, and pushed penetration to 40% of the population. Broadband access remains limited to less than 4% of the population.

• Policies and Standards Central Information Technology Office. 2009

This speaks to the standards and policies which governs the use of ICT in the Public Sector.  Integrating national ICT strategies overlaps with four well-established policy fields: that of

• Technology.
• Industry.
• Telecommunications.
• Media.
  

Increasingly, there is a growing interdependence between the development of ICT policies and sectoral policies. The successful execution of these policies will depend on how well the public sector is involved in the development and implementation process

Experience to date has shown that, in the absence of an existing national ICT policy, the tendency is towards the creation of sector-dependent policy that addresses only its own ICT needs. These policies become firmly entrenched within the sector and later attempts to integrate them into a broad all-encompassing ICT policy become difficult.  In order to mitigate against these hazards, the Government of Jamaica using the consultative process has developed the E-Powering 2012 and Vision 2030. source: CITO

STRATEGIC PLAN

E-Powering Jamaica 2012 National ICT Strategic Plan

E-Powering Jamaica 2012 sets out a blueprint towards these desired outcomes. It is the result of extensive consultations and background research, including interviews with industry leaders, government executives, planners and industry analysts. It also benefits from benchmarking against ICT policies and strategies in nine other countries at varying stages of development, and an analysis of the approaches recommended in major multilateral organizations such as the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNECLAC), the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) and UNESCO.

The overall vision of the NICT Strategy is for Jamaica to achieve Accelerated Human and Economic Development toward Global Competitiveness. The vision embodies these national goals: developing our people, fostering innovation, strengthening governance, and creating jobs; which are pillars of development for any successful society in today’s global landscape.

• Contribution to policy formulation and implementation particularly in regard to ensuring widespread access to ICT tools for the general population for individual and collective social and economic growth and development
• Effective and efficient utilization of network-based collaboration to gather, store, disseminate and recognize ICT4D information, knowledge and best practices
• Fostering development of new ICT technologies and new applications of current technologies especially as these relate to SMEs within target sectors and the development of competences required for the building of a knowledge society.

• Central Information Technology Office (CITO)
• Jamaica Information Services
• Jamaica Sustainable Development Network

NEWS

• Jamaican minister calls for greater investment in ICT in the region
• ICT Top of Agenda at BIZTECH Conference
• Jamaica signs MoU with India for ICT centre
• Conference of Ministers of Information
• US visa fees will soon be payable online
• New Fibre-Optic Cable Links Jamaica to North and South America
• Schools to go high tech 
• Jamaican software companies: "Adding ICT to Brand Jamaica" 
• MiPhone complains of Digicel monopoly

e-GOVERNMENT

Planning Institute of Jamaica
Jamaica’s Development Gateway
Statistical Institute of Jamaica
University of the West Indies, Mona

ENABLING LEGISLATIONS

The Interception of Communications Act. Jamaica. 2002

The Access to Information Act commenced on Monday January 5, 2004

PUBLICATIONS/DOCUMENTS

Survey of ICT and Education in the Caribbean (Volume 2)

• Jamaica - Country Report

According to a 2006 baseline survey, substantial investments and large-scale initiatives at both the
primary and the secondary levels have yet to yield significant impact in terms of access to ICT or ICT
support for educational reform. Progress at the tertiary level has been steadier, with all of Jamaica’s
tertiary institutions offering combinations of certificate, diploma, and degree programs in ICT-related disciplines.
Source: INFODEV

• Jamaica’s E-Readiness Assessment 2002

The progress and changes in the field of information and communication technology together with the
diffusion of the technological advances have resulted in the digital revolution and the emergence of the information age. This has had significant impact on cross-border relationships and expanded
the global frontier in hitherto unimagined ways. 

The arrival of broadband technologies, access to the computer and the Internet together with changes in the collection, storage and retrieval of information, have broken down
geographic, social and economic barriers and transformed economies and social relationships. Jamaica as a developing country has no choice but to participate in the global economy.

• Government At Your Service. Public Sector Modernisation Vision and Strategy 2002-2012

The Public Sector Modernisation Vision and Strategy Paper, 2002-2012, represents a critical point in the process of reforming and modernizing the public sector. It sets out the plan of reform for the next ten years and represents a coherent and comprehensive response to the challenges facing the sector.
source: Government of Jamaica

• An Effective E-Governance Framework:The Key to Enhanced E-Government Services

The increasing pressure and demand from the citizens of Jamaica who have been exposed to
e-government services, both locally and overseas is creating an environment for new and exciting
developments, as the supply side of the value-chain—the government of the land—has been, and is
continuing to make significant strides to improve service delivery to its stakeholders. Though the
Government of Jamaica has been successful in deploying e-government and e-payment systems that have
radically changed the landscape of government service offerings, a paradigm shift is occurring.

The new paradigm is demanding new levels of connectivity between government entities, that have hitherto,
not been available. Citizens are asking for “ME” oriented services (not “YOU” Convenient). These are
services that will be focused on the customer, being citizen-centric in nature. They will offer a truly
single touch-point experience, in which the behind-the-scenes operations are fully integrated and online,
and must be highly secure and robust. Such services can only be built on a platform of joined-up
government that is enabled through an effective e-governance framework—the main subject of this paper.
Let us first review what Jamaica has accomplished in the arena of e-government services. Then we shall
look to the fast approaching horizon and seek to articulate what the near future holds.
source: CITO

• 2006 Information and Communications for Development. Global Trends and Policies

The purpose of Information and Communications for Development 2006: Global Trends and Policies is to consolidate all these M&E efforts and share the findings with the development community. In addition to ICT At-a- Glance tables for 144 economies, this report includes analytical work that applies these data to a range of topics: investment trends, principles and practical solutions to extending ICT services, the role of ICT in doing business, trends in national e-strategies, and approaches to tracking ICT globally.

Further efforts are needed to coordinate and make M&E analysis fully operational in the arena of ICT for development. The World Bank Group stands ready to work with countries and the international community to determine how best to use ICT for poverty reduction and economic growth in the developing world. It is hoped that this report will play a positive role in these efforts.
source: World Bank