Montserrat ICT Plan - Final - Gov · 2012-09-03 · Montserrat ICT Plan - Final Green Connected...

Montserrat ICT Plan - Final


Acknowledgements

The Government of Montserrat gratefully acknowledges the work of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union and the gracious support of the Commonwealth Secretariat, in the formulation of this document.

Caribbean

Telecommunications

Union



Green Connected Thriving

Green ♣ Unspoiled, fresh, fertile, lush, environmentally responsible

♣ Ample, clean, affordable, renewable energy

♣ Productive, sustainable use of natural resources

♣ Use of smart, energy efficient solutions to reduce the environmental footprint

♣ High value ecotourism built around an unhurried tranquility

Connected ⫘ Integrated, accessible, inclusive, competitive

⫘ Robust on-island ICT infrastructure and access

⫘ Seamless access to commercial, cultural, educational and health services and opportunities anywhere in the world, from home

⫘ Virtual Montserrat with active involvement of the Diaspora

Thriving

↺ Economic regeneration, enterprising population, expanding markets, flourishing sectors

↺

↺ Limitless possibilities

1The essence of the National ICT Vision is that Montserrat is its natural self - a lush, green, tranquil,

unspoiled, nature island, which is fully connected to the world with all the opportunities and conveniences that it presents. It is a place where residents are thriving, leading rich and fulfilling lives on their own terms and in harmony with the environment.


1 Montserrat ICT Plan - Final

List of Abbreviations 4G 4th Generation

B2B Business-to-Business

B2C Business-to-Consumer

BOM Bank of Montserrat

BPR Business Process Reengineering

CANTO Caribbean Association of National Telecommunications Organisations

CARICAD Caribbean Center for Development Administration

CARICOM Caribbean Community

CDB Caribbean Development Bank

CCC Caribbean Cable Communications (Inc.)

ccTLD Country Code Top Level Domain

CFT Computers for Teachers initiative

CIGF Caribbean Internet Governance Forum

CID Center for International Development at Harvard University

CSIRT Computer Security Incident Response Team

CSME Caribbean Single Market and Economy

CTU Caribbean Telecommunications Union

DITES Department of Information Technology and e-Government Services

DMCA Disaster Management Coordination Agency

ECTEL Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority

EGRIP Electronic Government for Regional Integration Project

EIU Economist Intelligence Unit

Environment, Learning, Access, Virtual and Adoption

EMIS Education Management Information System

EU European Union

GDP Gross Domestic Product

GIU Government Information Unit

GOM Government of Montserrat

GPR Government Process Reengineering

HIPCAR Harmonisation of ICT Policies, Legislation and Regulation in the Caribbean Project

HR Human Resources

ICT(s) Information and Communications Technology(ies)

ISP Internet Service Provider

ITEC Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation

ITU International Telecommunication Union

IXP Internet Exchange Point

LIME Landline, Internet, Mobile & Entertainment


MCC Montserrat Community College

MCRS Montserrat Customs and Revenue Services

MCWL Ministry of Communications, Works and Labour

MDC Montserrat Development Corporation

MDG(s) Millennium Development Goal(s)

MICA Montserrat Info-Communications Authority

MOU Memorandum of Understanding

MSME(s) Micro, Small and Medium Sized Enterprise(s)

MUL Montserrat Utilities Limited

MVO Montserrat Volcano Observatory

NGO(s) Non-Governmental Organisation(s)

NHS National Health System

OCM One Caribbean Media Group

OECS Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States

OSILAC Observatory for the Information Society in Latin America and the Caribbean

PPP(s) Public/Private Partnership(s)

PTV People’s TV

RBC Royal Bank of Canada

ROI Return on Investment

SBA Small Business Association

SDP Sustainable Development Plan 2008 – 2020

TIPA Trade and Investment Promotion Agency

UN-ECLAC United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

USF Universal Service Fund

UWI University of the West Indies

WEF GITR World Economic Forum, Global Information Technology Report

WSIS World Summit on the Information Society


Table of Contents Executive Summary .................................................................................................. 5

1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 9

2 International ICT Initiatives and National Priorities .......................................... 10

3 Current State Assessment ............................................................................... 12

3.1 Current State of ICT in Montserrat .............................................................................................. 12 3.1.1 Service Providers ................................................................................................................................... 12 3.1.2 Telecommunications Penetration .................................................................................................. 13 3.1.3 International Connectivity ................................................................................................................ 13 3.1.4 Domestic Telecommunications Infrastructure and Services ............................................. 13 3.1.5 Governance ............................................................................................................................................... 14 3.1.6 Economic Sector Contribution ......................................................................................................... 14 3.1.7 Key Challenges ........................................................................................................................................ 14 3.1.8 Opportunities ........................................................................................................................................... 15

3.2 Montserrat’s e-Readiness ................................................................................................................ 16 3.3 Reference Countries ........................................................................................................................... 17

4 National ICT Vision .......................................................................................... 19

5 National ICT Policy .......................................................................................... 21

5.1 Environment ......................................................................................................................................... 23 5.2 Learning .................................................................................................................................................. 23 5.3 Access ....................................................................................................................................................... 24 5.4 Virtual ...................................................................................................................................................... 24 5.5 Adoption ................................................................................................................................................. 25

6 National ICT Strategy ...................................................................................... 26

6.1 Environment ......................................................................................................................................... 27 6.2 Learning .................................................................................................................................................. 30 6.3 Access ....................................................................................................................................................... 33 6.4 Virtual ...................................................................................................................................................... 36 6.5 Adoption ................................................................................................................................................. 38

7 Implementation Plan ...................................................................................... 41

7.1 Governance ............................................................................................................................................ 41 7.2 Funding ................................................................................................................................................... 45 7.3 Change Management ......................................................................................................................... 45 7.4 Stakeholder Management ................................................................................................................ 45 7.5 Additional Considerations ............................................................................................................... 46

8 References ...................................................................................................... 47

Appendix A: International and Regional ICT Efforts ................................................. 50

Appendix B: Montserrat’s e-Readiness ................................................................... 52

Appendix C: Detailed Implementation Roadmap ..................................................... 55



Executive Summary The people of Montserrat have been resilient and unwavering in their resolve to restore and elevate the island to a position of prosperity and sustainability. Montserrat’s recent history and circumstances are unique and inspiring. In the face of an active volcano and two thirds of the population now living abroad, development plans have been underway for a number of years as Government continues with national efforts to rebuild and regenerate the island and its economy. However, the challenges that impede progress and development are real and present. The limited access to the island, lack of reliable energy and a declining population continue to constrain Montserrat’s progress. In 2008, our Sustainable Development Plan (SDP) presented a compelling vision to be “

” by the year 2020. Among the many priorities and activities identified is a clear recognition of the critical role that Information and Communications Technology (ICT) must play. For Montserratians everywhere, ICT presents numerous opportunities to enhance almost every aspect of their lives, with significant benefits to be gained. ICT also serves as a foundation upon which future generations of Montserratians can thrive. The National ICT Policy, Strategy and Implementation Plan for Montserrat, collectively referred to as the National ICT Plan, articulates a coherent, national approach to the adoption and use of ICT over the period 2012 – 2016. It has been developed with a view to supporting the achievement of our SDP’s goals. As a major companion plan to the SDP, the National ICT Plan addresses the various roles and requirements of ICT in supporting and accelerating the realisation of the SDP’s vision. There are three major components to the National ICT Plan, namely:

I. The National ICT Policy

II. The National ICT Strategy

III. The Implementation Plan Following extensive consultation, Government has developed the following National ICT Vision for Montserrat:

Green Connected Thriving Guided by this Vision for the desired future state, the National ICT Policy outlines Government’s position on the key ICT issues that are important to the achievement of the Vision. These have been informed by the SDP’s policies and strategies, as well as other pertinent national, regional and international ICT publications.


Taking account of the current state of ICT in Montserrat, the National ICT Policy identifies specific objectives in focus areas which have been categorised as: Environment, Learning, Access, Virtual, and Adoption. Consultations were held with numerous stakeholders in order to ensure that the objectives in each focus area represent the wishes of the population. This involved a series of meetings with persons from within Government, the business community, the ICT sector, the student body, the general public and the Diaspora. Their respective views and opinions were recorded and analysed in order to determine the policy objectives. Each objective was then described through a series of related policy statements. The National ICT Policy’s focus areas – Environment, Learning, Access, Virtual,

Adoption – are represented by , an acronym that is uniquely Montserratian

and which quickly communicates the Policy’s focus areas. As outlined below, the National ICT Policy targets these five focus areas for ICT intervention and/or development in order to realise the National ICT Vision.

National ICT Focus Area

National ICT Policy Objective

Environment

To ensure the existence of an enabling legal and regulatory environment that

promotes ICT-facilitated activities and development in a secure, ethical,

environmentally sensitive and economically sustainable way

Learning

To enhance the capacity and propensity of, as well as opportunities for, the

population to effectively and innovatively create and use ICT tools for education,

business, social, cultural and leisure purposes

Access

To enable universal, open, affordable, wired and wireless access to high

capacity, high availability, national and international broadband infrastructure,

technology and services

Virtual

To promote the use of ICT tools for establishing and supporting physical and

virtual communities and interest groups to preserve and enhance Montserratian

cultural identity and values amongst the resident population as well as the

Diaspora

Adoption

To promote the early adoption and effective use of ICT by government and

businesses for greater internal and external communication, as well as for

greater efficiency, visibility, availability and performance.

In order to take account of “current best thinking” internationally, several countries were identified as references in developing the National ICT Strategy. A number of strategic thrusts were developed for each of the focus areas and related policy objectives. Each strategic thrust was associated with a series of programmes/projects, designed to achieve the objectives of the National ICT Policy.

The following strategic thrusts have been defined for each focus area in :

nvironment eeee

I. Utilise ICTs to promote the sustainable use and management of the

natural environment and resources

II. Establish a robust legal and regulatory framework that enables and

supports business, encourages enterprise, and engenders public trust

and confidence in ICTs


earning L

I. Enhance the education experience and its effectiveness through formal

and informal channels

II. Develop on-island ICT capability and talent, with a propensity for ICT-

based innovation and creativity

ccess A

I. Ensure ubiquitous, robust, affordable, on-island and international ICT

infrastructure and broadband connectivity

II. Develop a connected population, who routinely and effectively use ICTs

in their everyday lives

irtual V

I. Actively include and involve the Diaspora to establish and develop

Montserrat’s virtual population

II. Leverage ICT to promote and develop virtual communities and interest

groups

doption A

I. Excel in the delivery of public services

II. Accelerate business development, growth and competitiveness through

the use of ICT

It is widely accepted and well documented that many strategic plans fail because of implementation challenges. This is often not a reflection of the efficacy of the plans, but rather the challenges and pitfalls commonly experienced during their implementation. In an effort to ensure that our National ICT Strategy is successfully executed, a detailed Implementation Plan has been prepared, which includes major programmes and timelines along with considerations for governance, funding, change management and stakeholder engagement. Key features of the governance structure for implementation of the Strategy include:

• Overall responsibility for the National ICT Plan resides with the Ministry of Communications, Works and Labour;

• Creation of a Cabinet-appointed multi-stakeholder National ICT Council responsible for steering and advising on execution of the National ICT Strategy;

• Creation of a National ICT Secretariat within the Ministry of Communications, Works and Labour, with functional responsibility for the implementation and execution of the National ICT Strategy; and

• Strengthening the Department of Information Technology and E-Government Services (DITES) to manage intra-governmental ICT initiatives.



1 Introduction Montserrat, an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom, is an island with a current population of approximately 5,000 persons and a total land area of about 102 km2. Since 1995, Montserrat has been severely and adversely impacted by its Soufriere Hills Volcano, which has been erupting continuously at varying levels of intensity, ending for the time being all human habitation of the central and southern parts of the island. Plymouth, once the main town and capital, was destroyed by the eruptions, and with it most of the island’s housing stock, primary public infrastructure and socio-economic activity. The remaining inhabitants, who constitute about 40% of the pre-1995 population, are confined to living in the north of the island. Notwithstanding the ongoing challenges, Government has been moving diligently and resolutely to restore quality of life, regenerate the economy, and ultimately create “ ” as articulated our Sustainable Development Plan (SDP) 2008 – 2020. In response to the SDP, a number of subsidiary companion plans have been created, including an Education Development Plan and an e-Government Strategy. This National ICT Policy, Strategy and Implementation Plan, collectively called the National ICT Plan, is also a companion plan to the SDP, bringing an overarching national perspective on the role of ICT in achieving our SDP’s goals. It is based on consultations with a wide cross section of Montserratian society between October 2011 and December 2011 including Government ministries, private sector stakeholders, youths at the secondary school and community college, the general public and the Diaspora. The Plan has also been developed from the results of research conducted on international ICT imperatives, Montserrat’s national priorities and the findings of a current state assessment. The process of wide collaboration, research and reflection to determine a way forward for the population has produced a National ICT Plan that is typically Montserratian and can be readily embraced as our own. It should therefore generate a degree of excitement, anticipation and a commitment to action among Montserratians at home and abroad, guided by the National ICT Vision:

Green Connected Thriving


2 International ICT Initiatives and National Priorities The Government of Montserrat is aware of a number of international and regional initiatives designed to foster the adoption of ICTs for development. Foremost of these are a number of initiatives being driven by the United Nations (UN), including the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) targeted for achievement by 2015, and eLAC2015, which emphasises ICTs as tools for economic development and social inclusion. The UN has also made a recent call for all countries to have a national broadband policy by 2015. In the Caribbean, CARICOM has developed an e-Government Strategy and a Regional Digital Development Strategy which focus on using ICT to advance the Community goals of functional cooperation and economic integration. More information on these and other relevant, regional initiatives of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Caribbean Telecommunication Union (CTU) is provided in Appendix A. Each of these initiatives has benefited from wide consultation and lessons learned from various regions and countries that have similarly identified ICT as a major catalyst for transforming and sustaining their economies. To the credit of those countries, significant progress has already been made through coordinated efforts to document, analyse and act on their findings. In creating Montserrat’s National ICT Plan, a number of these lessons which were found to be relevant to our local circumstances were therefore taken into account in the formulation of the Plan. Notably, our SDP has already established several national priorities, for which this National ICT Plan must serve as supporter, enabler and accelerator. The SDP clearly articulates the following vision for Montserrat to be achieved by the year 2020:

The SDP identifies five strategic goals - Economic Management; Human

Development; Environmental Management and Disaster Mitigation; Governance; and

Population - for driving national development as illustrated below:


Each of the five strategic goals is expanded into a set of objectives, both long-term and medium-term, with accompanying strategies. The National ICT Plan has been designed to support, enable and accelerate the achievement of the SDP goals illustrated in the diagram below.


3 Current State Assessment

3.1 Current State of ICT in Montserrat

The Current State Assessment provides relevant information on the telecommunications service providers operating in Montserrat; the various ICT penetration levels for the population; the state of telecommunications infrastructure and services; the governance framework; and the communications sector’s contribution to national GDP. The Assessment also outlines the key challenges facing Montserrat as well as a number of opportunities.

3.1.1 Service Providers

Montserrat has two major facilities-based suppliers of telecommunications services who are the sole providers in their respective areas of service provision:

• LIME2 for fixed and mobile telephony, and Internet services; and

• Caribbean Cable Communications (CCC) for cable TV services. Other significant service providers or operators in the ICT space in Montserrat include:

• People’s TV (PTV), which operates the only free-to-air TV service in Montserrat. PTV broadcasts 24 hours/day on channel 7 with an estimated 70% coverage of the population, 40% viewership and 67% foreign content. Streaming on demand is available at www.ptvmontserrat.com;

• Government Information Unit, which operates ZJB Radio Montserrat on 88.3 and 95.5 FM. ZJB is also streamed live on Spirit of Montserrat Online at zjb.gov.ms;

• Caribbean Superstation 93.9 FM, a multi-country station of the One Caribbean Media (OCM) Group, operated from Trinidad;

• Eternal Life Radio and Family Radio, which are free-to-air and online radio stations;

• MNI Networks Ltd, which manages and administers the operations of the .ms ccTLD (Montserrat’s country code top-level domain); MNI Networks Ltd runs an automated registry with over 5,000 domain names; and

• Multiple new media groups with online presence catering to the social media users and the Montserratian Diaspora, including:

o mnialive.com

o mymontserrat.com

o montserratculture.com

o lavabits.com

2 LIME, an acronym for 'Landline, Internet, Mobile, Entertainment', is a communications provider

owned by Cable & Wireless.


3.1.2 Telecommunications Penetration

Montserrat is reasonably well served by communications services. The table below presents official ICT utilisation statistics obtained from the Montserrat Info-Communications Authority (MICA) except for the cable TV statistics, which were supplied by the service provider, Caribbean Cable Communications (CCC). Comparative service penetration averages for the ECTEL3 states are also provided.

Table 1: Comparative ICT Utilisation Statistics

Item

MONTSERRAT ECTEL States

(2010)

Subscribers

(2011)

% Penetration

(Households)

% Penetration

(Population)

% Penetration

(Population)

Population 5000

Households 2700

Fixed Line Telephone 2600 96.3% 52% 26.5%

Broadband Internet** 1200 44.4% 24% 15%

Mobile - Prepaid 2800 126% 68% 129%

Mobile - Post-paid 600

Cable TV 1144 42.4% 22.9%

** Broadband Internet is defined as 1 Mbps or more in this context

3.1.3 International Connectivity

LIME operates Montserrat’s only international terrestrial telecommunications link. All international services are transported via a single broadband microwave system between LIME’s premises at Sweeney’s and Antigua. In the past, LIME operated a subsea fibre system and cable landing station providing international connectivity. However, these were destroyed by the volcano. Proposals have been made for the establishment of a new cable and cable landing facility, but these are yet to be realised.

3.1.4 Domestic Telecommunications Infrastructure and Services

Telephone service infrastructure is available throughout the inhabited areas of Montserrat, typically via underground and aerial copper cable. A notable exception is the major new residential area, Lookout, which is served via (narrowband) loop wireless distribution methods purportedly owing to prohibitively high costs of installing cable infrastructure. This situation constrains delivery of broadband services in this important service area. There is also limited use of optical fibre transmission for domestic telecommunications transport in Montserrat. LIME offers the standard range of fixed and mobile telephone and telecommunications services in Montserrat. The company is moving to upgrade its

3 The Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL) Member States are Dominica,

Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Data was sourced from ECTEL’s Annual Electronic Communications Sector Review 2009 – 2010.


technology to match offerings in the other Caribbean countries in which it operates, consistent with the advertised LIME vision of “One Caribbean”. LIME has indicated its plans to make Fourth generation (4G) mobile services, IPTV and mobile TV available in 2013. The company currently defines broadband services as being 1 Mbps download or higher and, at present, residential services up to 3 Mbps and corporate services up to 6 Mbps are offered. Such bandwidth is, however, available only via fixed line connections as mobile service is only second generation GSM with GPRS / Edge, typically delivering limited data speeds in the order of 128 kbps. CCC offers analogue cable TV services via coaxial cable throughout most of Montserrat. However, the Lookout area is only partially served, purportedly on account of high cable installation costs. CCC also operates cable TV services in the neighboring islands of Nevis and Anguilla. CCC has been operating in the Montserrat market for about 25 years and has indicated a desire to modernise and expand its services in Montserrat to also offer digital TV, including high definition programming and Internet access. The business case for implementation of these plans is, however, still being developed in the context of Montserrat’s small market size and new regulatory framework.

3.1.5 Governance

The Ministry of Communications, Works and Labour is responsible for ICT and ICT policy formulation in Montserrat, with the Montserrat Info-Communications Authority (MICA) established as the independent regulator. The passage of the Info-communications Act (No. 4 of 2009), the establishment of MICA pursuant to the Act, and the recent proclamation of appropriate Regulations have opened up the market for ICT services in Montserrat. However, no new network or service provider concessions or licenses have yet been awarded, although MICA has reported that various proposals for new or enhanced service provision are engaging their attention. Existing service providers are following the procedures required to continue operating under the new legislation and regulations. MICA also has oversight of Montserrat’s country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) “.ms”, consistent with its responsibility for the regulation of Internet services.

3.1.6 Economic Sector Contribution

Available statistics for 2009 indicate that the Communications sector contributed EC$7.62M or 5.33% of national GDP, an increase of 1.44% over the previous year. However, in 2008 the sector had contracted by 12.94%. Information received from the service providers indicates that the subscriber base for certain traditional services is flat or declining (e.g. landline, cable TV) reducing the likelihood of robust sector growth since 2009.

3.1.7 Key Challenges

Montserrat’s small market size is repeatedly cited as a key challenge to business enterprise and investment. In the ICT sphere, both LIME and CCC, the major


facilities-based carriers, reported return on investment (ROI) shortcomings in their plans for service or infrastructure enhancements and are seeking appropriate solutions in order to proceed. The market size is also a significant constraint to the entry of additional service providers, the creation of new businesses, and therefore a more competitive business environment. ICT may be used as a tool to help enhance business prospects by expanding the target market to include neighbouring islands, the Montserratian Diaspora and the rest of the world. However, for facilities-based developments, access to capital on a concessionary basis, possibly through a public/private partnership may be required. Given our recurrent budget deficits at present, however, the extent to which Government may be able to facilitate financing is unclear. Financing options are limited in Montserrat. The two commercial banks, Bank of Montserrat and Royal Bank of Canada, have been relatively conservative in their operations and are also resource constrained by virtue of the size of the market. People’s TV has also highlighted the impact of the lack of venture capital on its service enhancement plans. Credit cards are accepted by several merchants, but not at Government offices at this time, and there are no debit card point-of-sale services, owing in part to a combination of low merchant interest and low customer demand. E-Commerce growth is also limited by the absence of local merchant account facilities. Other non-financial challenges that are fundamental and significant include:

• The shortcomings of basic infrastructure to support business and trade, such as air and sea access to Montserrat;

• The need for more consistent and reliable electrical power;

• The small pool of private sector ICT expertise;

• An education curriculum that is not sufficiently focused on ICT and entrepreneurship;

• The lack of island-wide broadband services;

• The lack of high speed wireless access; and

• The limitations of international broadband connectivity (i.e. lack of alternatives such subsea fibre or satellite).

3.1.8 Opportunities

Montserrat’s current population of 5,000, its geographic size and small, occupied land area present a number of exciting opportunities. The country has the ability to leapfrog, through rapid implementation and development, to be a totally connected and sophisticated ICT society that could be a model for the region. The national priorities of improved healthcare, enhanced education, responsive social services and a model, progressive Government, as captured in the e-Government Strategy, can be achieved. Indeed, Montserrat has the unique opportunity of realising our vision of being Green Connected . Thriving


3.2 Montserrat’s e-Readiness

An ‘e-Ready’ society4 can be described as one that has the necessary physical ICT infrastructure; has incorporated ICTs throughout Government, businesses, communities and in everyday life; has strong telecommunications competition and independent regulation with a commitment to universal access; and has no limits to ICT trade or foreign investment. Using the e-Readiness Assessment framework developed by the Center for International Development (CID) at Harvard University, Montserrat’s e-Readiness was examined in 19 categories, ranking each by its level of advancement, represented by stages 1 through 4 (1 being the lowest and 4 being the highest). The results offered broad insights for our planning efforts. Based on the individual category rankings for each of the 19 categories, it is clear that there are a number of gaps that need to be addressed if Montserrat is to become an e-Ready society. This is illustrated in the diagram below.

Details of the assessment are included in Appendix B.

4 Refers to the definition of an e-Ready society taken from the Center for International Development (CID) at Harvard University.


3.3 Reference Countries

Montserrat, for several reasons, is not currently included in any of the more established international and regional ICT-type studies. This precludes Montserrat from being compared with similar countries in the various rankings. Accordingly, the primary purpose of the review of reference countries was to identify and closely examine their ICT plans and strategies to help inform the creation of our own National ICT Policy and Strategy. Several reference countries were identified and their respective ICT plans and/or strategies reviewed in detail. The countries were chosen based on the following considerations, as applicable:

• Ease of access to publicly available information on the country’s ICT plans and progress;

• Incorporation of the country in major international/regional ICT surveys;

• Focus on the development of ICT as a sector and significant contributor to national GDP;

• Being a country recognised as a leader internationally/regionally in its use of ICT for development and economic growth ;

• Geographic proximity to Montserrat; and/or

• Existing or potential strategic relationship with the Government of Montserrat.

The list of reference countries and a summary view of the countries and their rankings is provided in the table below:


Additionally, the case studies and experiences of these countries, as captured in the various ICT survey reports, provide useful insights for any country seeking to determine “current best thinking”. A number of international ICT surveys were also studied, including the following:

� The Global Information Technology Report 2010-2011, World Economic

Forum;

� Information and Communication Technology Maturity: Determining access

and use of ICT infrastructures to build capabilities for Development (2011),

Sadja Qureshi;

� Digital Economy Rankings 2010 – Beyond e-Readiness, Economist Intelligence

Unit; and

� Global e-Government Survey 2010, United Nations.


4 National ICT Vision Our Montserrat Sustainable Development Plan (SDP) presented a compelling vision to be “ ” by the year 2020. Among the many priorities and activities identified is a clear recognition of the critical role that Information and Communications Technology (ICT) must play. For Montserratians everywhere, ICT presents numerous opportunities to enhance almost every aspect of their lives, with significant benefits to be gained. ICT also serves as a foundation upon which future generations of Montserratians can thrive. Having taken account of the current state of ICT in Montserrat; regional and international trends in the sector; and following extensive consultations (with persons in Government, the business community, the ICT sector, the secondary and tertiary student body, the general public and the Diaspora), Government has formulated a statement of vision for ICT development which is consistent with and supportive of the goals of the SDP. The following National ICT Vision embodies, in one compelling statement, the aspirations, hopes and concerns expressed by the population:

Green Connected Thriving Visually, the National ICT Vision is depicted by the following unique image, which contains elements of a globe with subtle representation of the universal symbol for the “power” button used for electronic equipment. The image also suggests movement and progress through the arrows encircling the globe, while at the same time maintaining a green, environmentally sensitive focus.


The National ICT Vision has the following connotations:

Green ♣ Unspoiled, fresh, fertile, lush, environmentally responsible

♣ Ample, clean, affordable, renewable energy

♣ Productive, sustainable use of natural resources

♣ Use of smart, energy efficient solutions to reduce the environmental footprint

♣ High value ecotourism built around an unhurried tranquility

Connected ⫘ Integrated, accessible, inclusive, competitive

⫘ Robust on-island ICT infrastructure and access

⫘ Seamless access to commercial, cultural, educational and health services and opportunities anywhere in the world, from home

⫘ Virtual Montserrat with active involvement of the Diaspora

Thriving

↺ Economic regeneration, enterprising population, expanding markets, flourishing sectors

↺

↺ Limitless possibilities


5 National ICT Policy Montserrat is progressing on its journey of redeveloping and sustaining itself. The people of Montserrat are proud of their history and culture, something that they celebrate keenly and respect reverently. There is broad recognition and agreement that ICTs, once effectively introduced, managed and evaluated continuously, can enhance the wellbeing of Montserrat’s population and economy. Similar views are held by many developed and developing societies around the world that are increasingly using ICTs to achieve their collective goals more rapidly. There is an emerging notion of access to ICTs as a basic human right, with some countries taking it to the point of having it enshrined in law. Such international efforts to bring the benefits of ICTs to all individuals serve to underscore the importance of the existing digital landscape and its relevance to social and economic sustainability, and even prosperity. The Government recognises the increasingly pervasive presence and potential of ICTs to impact all aspects of modern life and particularly their profound influence on economic competitiveness. There are clear opportunities for appropriate and innovative use of ICTs to enable Montserrat to overcome the challenges of our economic deficits, small size and geography in achieving sustainable development. Further, ICTs can provide a platform for engaging citizens and the Diaspora for more effective, inclusive and transparent governance. In parallel, Government is continuing with efforts to determine the most appropriate solution for renewable energy to power the country’s growth and development. The focus on education is captured in “The Montserrat Learner for 2020” which calls for a significant emphasis on ICT-facilitated learning and ICT literacy, collectively referred to as e-Education. The e-Government Strategy seeks to position our public service as “a model of good governance” in our efforts to become more efficient, effective, responsive and accountable. There have been numerous public references and calls to support electronic payments, or e-Payments. Similar calls have been made for using ICTs for enhanced healthcare, or e-Health. The opportunity therefore exists to create a single “thread” that guides the development of future plans and influences the implementation of existing plans, from the perspective of ICTs. The National ICT Policy will be that “thread” and is articulated by the Policy objectives that follow. National ICT Policy Objectives

The Government has set out to encourage, favour and promote the identification, development, adoption and utilisation of ICTs, as appropriate, in order to advance the achievement of the national strategic goals. This position is more specifically informed by the National ICT Policy’s focus in the areas of Access, Learning, Society, Economy and Policy. These areas are generally internationally regarded as the basic tenets of using ICTs for national development and transformation.


In order to create a powerful concept that is uniquely Montserratian and which can be used to quickly communicate the Policy’s focus areas, Government has

developed the acronym . As an acronym, follows the established

pattern of incorporating an “e” as a prefix, as in the cases of e-business, e-government and e-health where the “e” suggests the effective application of ICTs in

business, government and health respectively. The five focus areas depicted by

are Environment, Learning, Access, Virtual and Adoption.

also connotes the fluid nature of ICTs

and the rapid pace of technological change. Like volcanic lava, once hardened or solidified, the outcomes of the Policy’s five focus areas will indeed change Montserrat’s socio-economic landscape and claim new territory in the digital world. Also, the way in which ICT manifests itself (in terms of its structure and constitution) will differ by person, community and sector.

Government also designed the following logo for , which will also be used

when communicating the National ICT Policy’s five focus areas to the public. It portrays the fusion of ICTs and the intimate relationship that exists between the people of Montserrat and the iconic Soufriere Hills Volcano. The logo’s colours reflect the energy and severity of the volcano, while at the same time depicting the transformational nature of lava as it begins to cool and solidify.

A distinct policy objective has been developed for each focus area in –

Environment, Learning, Access, Virtual and Adoption – based on a distillation of our national priorities, the National ICT Vision and “current best thinking”. This has resulted in the National ICT Policy objectives presented in the sub-sections that follow.


5.1 Environment

Natural • Policy • Legal

To ensure the existence of an enabling legal and regulatory environment

that promotes ICT-facilitated activities and development in a secure,

ethical, environmentally sensitive and economically sustainable way.

The following points highlight the different dimensions of the policy objective for the “Environment” focus area, and provide deeper insight into the Policy’s desired outcomes:

i. Establish an environment that will encourage local enterprise and attract foreign direct investment in ICTs;

ii. Establish a legal framework that protects the privacy of sensitive and personal information and data;

iii. Establish a security framework to allow widespread use of ICT in every sphere of endeavor;

iv. Ensure the existence of “green” policies for the use of ICTs that will preserve and protect the environment;

v. Establish the necessary policy mechanisms to treat with the disposal of electronic equipment in an environmentally responsible way; and

vi. Ensure that the necessary skills and systems are in place to support effective implementation and enforcement of ICT-related laws and regulations.

5.2 Learning

Education • Literacy • Development

To enhance the capacity and propensity of, as well as opportunities for,

the population to effectively and innovatively create and use ICT tools for

education, business, social, cultural and leisure purposes.

The following points serve to highlight the different dimensions of the policy objective for the “Learning” focus area, and provide deeper insight into the Policy’s desired outcomes:

i. Use ICTs to improve the management and delivery of education services, and enhance the learning experience and outcomes throughout the education system;

ii. Build an ICT literate and e-Ready population with the skills and attitudes to use ICT to enhance their daily lives;

iii. Develop the skills required for Montserrat’s local ICT service sector; and

iv. Facilitate the necessary training and development interventions to allow for the creation of world-class ICT applications and solutions locally.


5.3 Access

Infrastructure • Connectivity

To enable universal, open, affordable, wired and wireless access to high

capacity, high availability, national and international broadband

infrastructure, technology and services.

The following points serve to highlight the different dimensions of the policy objective for the “Access” focus area, and provide deeper insight into the Policy’s desired outcomes:

i. Government will take all necessary actions to ensure that the infrastructure needed to realise its strategy is put in place, especially where commercial operators are not prepared to make the associated infrastructure investments;

ii. Montserrat will establish and maintain high-bandwidth, highly reliable, affordable, domestic and international connectivity (i.e. island-wide access within Montserrat as well as access into and out of Montserrat) with island-wide access to broadband capacity of at least 5Mbps for all by the year 2016;

iii. Explore the benefits of cloud computing to reduce capital costs and increase service reliability; and

iv. Remove or reduce duties and taxation on all ICT equipment (hardware and software) imported into Montserrat.

5.4 Virtual

Society • Community • Culture

To promote the use of ICT tools for establishing and supporting physical

and virtual communities and interests groups to preserve and enhance

Montserratian cultural identity and values amongst the resident

population as well as the Diaspora.

The following points serve to highlight the different dimensions of the policy objective for the “Virtual” focus area, and provide deeper insight into the Policy’s desired outcomes:

i. Enhance the engagement and participation of residents and the Diaspora in Montserrat’s socio-economic development and governance;

ii. Promote the use of ICT in establishing virtual communities of interest in areas such as agriculture, tourism, fishing and volcanology; and

iii. Increase the global visibility and viability of Montserrat based on its virtual population (combined strength and size of its on-island and off-island population).


5.5 Adoption

Government • Businesses

To promote the early adoption and effective use of ICT by government

and businesses for greater internal and external communication, as well

as for greater efficiency, visibility, availability and performance.

The following points serve to highlight the different dimensions of the policy objective for the “Virtual” focus area, and provide deeper insight into the Policy’s desired outcomes:

i. Support the growth and competitiveness of economic activity through innovative and effective use of ICT;

ii. Develop the indigenous capacity to innovate, create, commercialise and manage the ICT solutions that Montserrat needs;

iii. Optimise the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery and business processes in the public sector;

iv. Use ICT to transform the public sector for greater transparency, accountability and accessibility;

v. Government to function as an early adopter of effective ICT solutions;

vi. Use ICTs to assist in disaster mitigation and management;

vii. Keep citizens aware of public policies, decisions and other relevant Government information on an ongoing basis; and

viii. Encourage the development and implementation of “shared” systems guided by a principle of “build once, use often”.


6 National ICT Strategy

Building on the ICT Policy’s focus areas, as captured by , the National ICT

Strategy sets out a context for the realisation of the National ICT Vision and achievement of the National ICT Policy objectives. The Strategy comprises a number of strategic thrusts, which will be pursued through a series of related programmes and projects. These relationships are illustrated in the diagram below:

The strategic thrusts and related programmes/projects are a culmination of numerous stakeholder consultations in order to incorporate national priorities, aspirations, values and analyses of global best practices. Notably, the various programmes and projects contained in the National ICT Strategy individually and collectively relate to the strategic goals of the SDP. For ease of reference, the strategic goals of the SDP are presented below.

# SDP - STRATEGIC GOALS

SG 1 Economic

Management

An environment that fosters prudent economic management,

sustained growth, a diversified economy and the generation of

employment opportunities.

SG 2 Human

Development

Enhanced human development and improved quality of life of all

people of Montserrat.

SG 3 Environmental

Management and

Disaster Mitigation

Montserrat’s natural resources conserved within a system of

environmentally sustainable development and appropriate

strategies for disaster mitigation.

SG 4 Governance An efficient, responsive and accountable system of governance and

public service.

SG 5 Population A sustainable population.

Programmes / Projects

Strategic Thrusts

ICT Policy Focus Areas

ICT Policy

Focus Area 1

Strategic Thrust 1

ICT Programme 1.1

ICT Project 1.2

Strategic Thrust 2

ICT Project 2.1

ICT Programme 2.2

ICT Project 2.3


6.1 Environment

ICT Policy Objective: To ensure the existence of an enabling legal and regulatory

environment that promotes ICT-facilitated activities and

development in a secure, ethical, environmentally sensitive

and economically sustainable way.

Strategic Thrust 1: Utilise ICTs to promote the sustainable use and management of

the natural environment and resources

Strategic Thrust 2: Establish a robust legal and regulatory framework that enables

and supports business, encourages enterprise, and engenders

public trust and confidence in ICTs

considers Montserrat’s natural surroundings and the legal and Environment

regulatory framework. With respect to the former, the SDP calls for sustainable use of the environment and effective management of the country’s natural resources. This connotes “green” as captured in the National ICT Vision and also considers the importance of, and need for effective environmental management and the role of ICTs in achieving this. The second aspect of this focus area treats with the required legal and regulatory environment to support the National ICT Plan. The legal framework will enable and support business, encourage enterprise, and engender trust and confidence among the citizenry in using ICTs securely and routinely in their daily lives.

Additional guiding principles for this focus area include the following:

• Effective regulatory oversight for business facilitation – open and competitive;

• Appropriate legislative framework for enabling secure, electronic transactions;

• Effective ICT framework and infrastructure for coordinated emergency communications as well as the planning for, response to and mitigation of the effects of natural disasters;

• Ample reliable, renewable energy for powering ICTs; and

• Effective management and disposal of electronic waste. The following strategic thrusts, key programmes and key programme elements have been developed for . Environment


eeeenvironment

STRATEGIC

THRUSTS

KEY PROGRAMMES SDP

Goal

KEY PROGRAMME ELEMENTS

1. Utilise ICTs to

promote the

sustainable use

and

management of

the natural

environment

and resources

Montserrat: Go Green (Powered by ICTs)

SG 1 SG 3

Media and ICT-related initiatives to build population awareness of “green” practices in routine activities. Expedite completion of the national power supply upgrade to support reliable use of ICT and promote the supply of ample, reliable energy through use of smart and energy efficient ICT solutions. Promote adoption of ICT solutions for energy and resource efficiency.

Disaster Management & Mitigation

SG 3 DMCA to coordinate planning and dissemination of policies and procedures for emergency use of public and private telecommunications systems and assets for public information, alerts, safety and interaction. Establish, administer and maintain national emergency communications infrastructure, plan and procedures.

Climate Change Monitoring Station

SG 3 Technical and resource capacity to make Montserrat a climate change monitoring location, relevant within the international scientific community.

Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO) – ICTs used to enhance contribution of the MVO to Montserrat’s economy and raise Montserrat’s international profile

SG 1 SG 3

MVO as a nucleus around which skills, including ICT skills, can be developed in support of Montserrat’s socio-economic development Utilise MVO as a key aspect of Montserrat’s tourism product.

e-Waste Management SG 3 Create policy and legislation to treat with the appropriate disposal of electronic waste (e-Waste).

2. Establish a

robust legal

and regulatory

framework that

enables and

supports

business,

encourages

enterprise, and

engenders

e-Legislation SG 2 SG 4

Review of the legislative framework to identify and treat with existing gaps. Update/create key policies, legislation and/or regulations that treat with issues such as:

• Computer misuse

• Electronic transactions (digital equivalence)

• Data protection and privacy


STRATEGIC

THRUSTS

KEY PROGRAMMES SDP

Goal


public trust

and confidence

in ICTs

• Cybercrime

• Intellectual property

• Exchequer and Audit (electronic payments)

• Child Protection Policies (look into ITU work in this area)

Build capacity to enforce cybercrime legislation and deal effectively with related offences (includes detection and prosecution)

Montserrat CSIRT (Computer Security Incident Response Team)

SG 2 SG 4

Explore the feasibility of creating a local Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT) or partnering with a CSIRT in another appropriate jurisdiction.


6.2 Learning

ICT Policy Objective: To enhance the capacity and propensity of, as well as

opportunities for, the population to effectively,

innovatively and creatively use ICT tools for education,

business, social, cultural and leisure purposes.

Strategic Thrust 1: Enhance the education experience and its effectiveness through

formal and informal channels

Strategic Thrust 2: Develop on-island ICT capability and talent, with a propensity

for ICT-based innovation and creativity

addresses the critical need for enhanced teaching and learning Learning

throughout the education system. This requires a modernised pedagogy, the creation and customisation of suitable content, and an environment in which there is more effective interaction between parents, students and teachers. There will be opportunities to explore distance and other benefits of connecting local schools with other learning institutions outside of Montserrat. This focus area also considers the achievement of basic ICT literacy among all members of the population and the development of advanced ICT skills and manpower to address the domestic need for ICT services and support. Consistent with our Education Development Plan, building a nation of modern and lifelong learners requires ease of access to educational material, among other things. The critical role of ICTs in this regard cannot be overstated, as Montserratians must increasingly participate in and contribute to the global knowledge society.


• Opportunities for training and qualification/certification in appropriate technologies such as networking, Internet, information security, software development, database administration and computer repair;

• Creation and production of local content; shifting the balance from a “download” to more of an “upload” culture; and

• Multi-modal distance education.

The following strategic thrusts, key programmes and key programme elements have been developed for . Learning


Learning

STRATEGIC

THRUSTS

KEY PROGRAMMES SDP

Goal


1. Enhance the

education

experience

and its

effectiveness

through

formal and

informal

channels

ICT in Education SG 2 Training of teachers and administrative staff in the use of ICT for education enrichment (e.g. in English, Mathematics, Sciences) Training of students in ICT-facilitated learning (research, assignments, interactive study) Integrate ICTs into the curriculum (ICT as a subject) Training of “private” teachers/educators in the use of ICTs for education

ICT Awareness & Impact

SG 2

Establish an annual “National ICT Week” to coincide with a major, on-island ICT events or workshop. Activities for the “National ICT Week” can include a school competition in ICT innovation culminating in a prize at the end of the week; free public lectures on ICT-related issues; ICT features aired on national broadcast channels; demonstrations / exhibitions of ICT equipment (e.g. video-conferencing, 3-D television, etc.); application of ICT in relevant sectors (e.g. agriculture, fishing, tourism, health, education, manufacturing) Partner with MICA and relevant industry players to sensitise the public about personal safety in using the Internet.

EMIS (Education Management Information System)

SG 2 SG 4

Enhance school administration by establishing school networks and an integrated portal for connecting Ministry of Education personnel, principals, teachers, parents and students)

The ICT Channel SG 2 Establish a multimedia communication channel with online and offline access that provides relevant ICT information packaged in an attractive and understandable way.


STRATEGIC

THRUSTS

KEY PROGRAMMES SDP

Goal


The ICT Channel will:

• Inform and educate the public on ICT issues that affect their daily lives;

• Raise public awareness and appreciation of the benefits and risks of ICTs; and

• Provide a public forum to discuss ICT issues.

• Feature citizen-produced appropriate content

2. Develop on-

island ICT

capability and

talent, with a

propensity for

ICT-based

innovation

and creativity

ICT Manpower Development

SG 2 Partner with the relevant institutions (local and foreign) to ensure the availability of certified ICT training courses in relevant technologies (e.g. Internet technologies, databases, networks, information security, open source technologies).

ICT Incubation SG 1 SG 2

Develop policies and programmes to encourage ICT innovation. This may require access to grant or concessionary funding and / or business incubator facilities for micro entrepreneurs.


6.3 Access

ICT Policy Objective: To enable universal, open, affordable, wired and wireless

access to high capacity, high availability, national and

international broadband infrastructure, technology and

services. Strategic Thrust 1: Ensure ubiquitous, robust, affordable, on-island and

international ICT infrastructure and broadband connectivity

Strategic Thrust 2: Develop a connected population, who routinely and effectively

use ICTs in their everyday lives

examines Montserrat’s connectivity infrastructure (on-island and Access

international) as well as its degree of connectedness (availability of high-capacity, reliable and affordable broadband services and end-user devices). It considers the ease and effectiveness with which Montserrat can readily benefit from the potential uses of ICT. Another dimension of access is concerned with the quality, reliability and affordability of access. This dimension takes into account the international and domestic broadband infrastructure, which must be open and available to all legitimate users and uses, affordable, of a sufficiently high capacity and quality to support the desired services, and reliable so that critical services can depend on it. The availability and quality of electrical power is another critical factor that will be addressed. Access, as a focus area, also contemplates the way in which, and the extent to which people access or connect to the infrastructure; that is via fixed or mobile devices and through wired or wireless connections. It seeks to provide users with modes of access with which they are most comfortable and which best serve their individual needs. Notably, it is necessary to ensure that the population has ready access to the appropriate devices in order to get connected.


� Developing a national broadband strategy;

� Building a robust on-island and international infrastructure and connectivity;

� Support for telepresence, telecommuting, etc.;

� Using ICT to develop, integrate, market and operate tourism sector;

� Providing world-best ICT infrastructure for Little Bay;

� Appropriate cost, capability, quality and accessibility of ICT services;

� Increased national ICT penetration levels; and

� Pragmatic approach to outsourcing and hosting of ICT (including considerations for use of Cloud computing).

The following strategic thrusts, key programmes and key programme elements have been developed for . Access


A ccess

STRATEGIC

THRUSTS

KEY PROGRAMMES SDP

Goal


1. Ensure

ubiquitous,

robust,

affordable, on-

island and

international

ICT

infrastructure

and broadband

connectivity

National Broadband Strategy

SG 1 Develop a national broadband strategy with input from service providers and other stakeholders to define relevant services, technology options and localities. Define end user broadband service (e.g. minimum of 5Mbps). Determine architecture for robust and resilient national, high bandwidth infrastructure and redundant international connectivity. Consider use of wired and ubiquitous wireless connectivity to support economic priorities e.g. tourism, agriculture, fisheries, etc.

Enhanced ICT Infrastructure and Info-Communications Services

SG 1 Facilitate new market entrants or public/private partnerships (PPPs) to drive the build out of telecoms facilities, and enhance service choices and affordability (e.g. availability of long term financing for enhanced viability of business cases; periodic review of service operator fees). Assess the feasibility of instituting self-financing mechanisms such as a universal service fund (USF), based on actual market revenue and vibrancy.

International Fibre Connectivity

SG 1 Expedite and drive the re-establishment of international fibre connectivity. Pursue development financing/funding or private/public partnerships (PPPs) to overcome commercial challenges.

Governance of Internet Resources

SG 1 SG 4

Regulatory oversight to maintain technically and administratively viable operation of the “.ms” country code Top Level Domain (.ms ccTLD). Encourage local Internet traffic exchange and/or prompt the development of a national Internet Exchange Point (IXP) in the event of multiple local Internet Service Providers (ISPs).


STRATEGIC

THRUSTS

KEY PROGRAMMES SDP

Goal


2. Develop a

connected

population,

who routinely

and effectively

use ICTs in

their everyday

lives

One-to-One (1-to-1) SG 1 SG 2 SG 4

Achieve a ratio of 1 suitable Internet connectivity device (laptop, desktop, tablet computer, smart phone, e-reader, etc.) to every 1 resident. Based on need and intended use, the type of device would vary from resident to resident. Supporting considerations include:

• Institute appropriate tax and duty incentives to encourage investment, moderate the prices of consumer devices and enhance usage.

• Eliminate or reduce duties on smartphones, laptops, tablets and consumer networking devices.


6.4 Virtual

ICT Policy Objective: To promote the use of ICT tools for establishing and

supporting physical and virtual communities and interests

groups to preserve and enhance Montserratian cultural

identity and values amongst the resident population and

the Diaspora.

Strategic Thrust 1: Actively include and involve the Diaspora to establish and

develop Montserrat’s virtual population

Strategic Thrust 2: Leverage ICT to promote Montserratian heritage and develop

virtual communities and interest groups

seeks to include all Montserratians, irrespective of where they may be, in Virtual

the social, cultural and economic life of Montserrat. It relates both to the Diaspora’s participation in Montserrat affairs and to the residents’ collaboration with the Diaspora to secure economic, social and other opportunities within and outside of Montserrat. The country has the uncommon challenge of having a Diaspora to on-island population ratio of 60:40. A key strategy to securing Montserrat’s viability in the face of its geographical and demographic challenges is to create something of a “Virtual Population”. This requires more effective access to the Diaspora, as well as greater involvement by the Diaspora in Montserrat’s affairs. Such access also enhances the viability of Montserrat businesses by giving them access to larger, virtual markets. The constraints of scarce local expertise and resources can be mitigated through initiatives such as teleworking to access off-island knowledge and skills. Additional guiding principles for this focus area include the following:

� Actively and effectively integrating the Diaspora;

� Promoting teleworking / telecommuting from off-island;

� Fostering online communities of interest (culture, heritage, fishing, tourism, farming, current affairs, events, etc.);

� Providing fully connected, ICT friendly, on-island spaces;

� Stimulating local content creation, production, distribution and archiving;

� Digitising our national archives; and

� Enabling cross-border knowledge work.

The following strategic thrusts, key programmes and key programme elements have been developed for . Virtual


V irtual

STRATEGIC

THRUSTS

KEY PROGRAMMES SDP

Goal


1. Actively

include and

involve the

Diaspora to

establish and

develop

Montserrat’s

virtual

population

Virtual Montserrat SG 1 SG 4 SG 5

Maintain an online Diaspora registry and skills bank to enlist the Diaspora in local business operations through use of ICT solutions such as teleworking and videoconferencing. This may be especially useful in cases such as finding suitable directors for board membership, international marketing facilitation and representation at international fora. Facilitate online access to and electronic payment for Government and locally supplied services of interest to the Diaspora. Facilitate the creation of opportunities to derive economic value from the Diaspora such as business development incentives or public/private partnerships for online store fronts for Montserrat-based businesses.

2. Leverage ICT

to promote

Montserratian

heritage and

develop

virtual

communities

and interest

groups

Montserrat Heritage Online

SG 1 SG 2 SG 3 SG 5

Digitise local media content and archives. Establish platforms for electronic access to Montserratian heritage content (on a commercial or non-profit basis) – e.g. Virtual Museum of Montserrat - with on and off-island secure repositories for digital assets

Montserrat Community Values

SG 2 SG 3 SG 5

Optimise use of Government and private sector media resources for promoting wholesome Montserratian values and activities

Montserrat Communities Online

SG 1 SG 2 SG 3 SG 4 SG 5

Create and manage online collaboration spaces to support virtual communities of interest (residents and non-residents): - Montserrat news - Community focus - Special event coverage e.g. Festival - Volcano or other reports from the

MVO, DMCA - Sector communities – Tourism,

Agriculture, Fishing, etc. Utilise the facilities of the .ms Registry to establish .ms as Montserratians’ home on the Internet.


6.5 Adoption

ICT Policy Objective: To promote the early adoption and effective use of ICT by

government and businesses for greater internal and

external communication, as well as for greater efficiency,

visibility, availability and performance.

Strategic Thrust 1: Excel in the delivery of public services

Strategic Thrust 2: Accelerate business development, growth and competitiveness

seeks to increase the effective use of ICT by the Government, the Adoption

business community and indeed, all of society. Significantly, it recognises the key role that Government must play in embracing ICT as an early adopter. This refers to the use of ICT in improving the quality, availability, accessibility and transparency of public service delivery, in a way that delights citizens. Government’s use of ICT in interacting and engaging with its various publics will create a “pull” effect among businesses and society who would see the value in using ICT themselves. Our current e-Government Strategy makes reference to several initiatives, which would see Government as an early adopter in the use of key technologies. Adoption also refers to the incorporation of ICT into the way that Montserratians operate their businesses, provide and access goods and services, and live their daily lives. This focus area is key to leveraging the potential of ICT in the high-impact economic sectors identified in the SDP. The majority of businesses in these sectors will be Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) that will need guidance and support in adopting and applying ICT. Montserrat, as a society, must come to consider ICT as a primary means of sourcing and accessing the goods and services, including information, which are required. Additional guiding principles for this focus area include the following:

� e-Marketplace to facilitate MSME Business-to-Consumer (B2C) activity and Business-to-Business (B2B) activity;

� Telehealth, including integration into the National Health System (NHS);

� ICT to develop, integrate, market and operate tourism sector;

� Stimulating content creation and production;

� Expediting e-Commerce infrastructure, including national e-payment; and

� Achieving effective and efficient e-Government.

The following strategic thrusts, key programmes and key programme elements have been developed for . Adoption


A doption

STRATEGIC

THRUSTS

KEY PROGRAMMES SDP

Goal


1. Excel in the

delivery of

public services

Modern and Model Government

SG 2 SG 4

Develop a multi-channel framework for delivering Government services to the public (e.g. online, telephone hotline, mobile phone, self-serve automates kiosks). Effective execution and coordination of the programmes and projects in the e-Government Strategy. Undertake Government Process Reengineering (GPR) to optimize key Government processes for greater efficiency, transparency and measurement.

Government e-Procurement

SG 1 SG 4

Use an ICT platform (website / portal) to procure goods and services from the domestic and international markets. Use the e-Procurement platform for the issue of Government tenders / requests for proposals.

e-Democracy SG 2 SG 4 SG 5

Use Internet technologies for more effective and transparent public engagement, consultation and interaction (including the Diaspora) on matters of national policy and priority.

2. Accelerate

business

development,

growth and

competitivenes

s through the

use of ICT

Montserrat: Open for e-Business

SG 1 Complete a gap analysis to determine all impediments to facilitating online trading of goods and services (door to door from supplier to customer and everything in between, including shipping, electronic payment, consumer complaints, etc.) Introduce tax concessions for businesses that acquire and deploy ICTs for the purpose of improving their efficiency and effectiveness, as well as for companies pioneering new markets in the ICT sector (e.g. manufacturing, cyber-security, software development) Promote Montserrat: Open for Business

Online Market (B2B, B2C)

SG 1 Establish the business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) Online Market as a single trading space online where buyers and sellers of goods produced in/for/by Montserrat can transact securely and confidently.


STRATEGIC

THRUSTS

KEY PROGRAMMES SDP

Goal


Promote the use of the online Market to encourage all businesses to participate in putting their “products” online.

ICT: Go Local SG 1 SG 2 SG 4

Encourage and support the development of the domestic ICT industry through deliberate efforts to involve Montserratian ICT manpower in Government’s ICT efforts. Include a requirement for local ICT sector participation in all International ICT tenders in order to provide opportunities for employment and knowledge transfer. Invite and encourage the local ICT sector to respond to Government’s ICT needs that fall below an agreed threshold (e.g. complexity, cost, duration).


7 Implementation Plan The successful implementation of the programmes and projects contained within the National ICT Strategy must take into consideration the relationships, interdependencies and lines of separation between the various functions and activities. A governance framework has been developed to treat with the need for appropriate oversight, coordination, monitoring and general administration of the ICT Strategy’s programmes, projects and initiatives. The Implementation Plan identifies timelines for the completion of key programme elements by the appropriate agencies in order to guide the sequencing of implementation. The Plan also addresses the issues of funding and stakeholder engagement, both of which are critical to the ongoing success of the ICT Strategy’s undertakings. A detailed Implementation Roadmap, including targets, timelines and executing agencies for each of the National ICT Strategy’s programmes/projects, is included in Appendix C.

7.1 Governance

A three-pronged governance framework has been developed to ensure the effective implementation of the National ICT Strategy. The framework comprises the three key areas of responsibility that must be appropriately and concurrently managed, namely:

i. Oversight & Advisory;

ii. Development & Implementation; and

iii. Monitoring & Evaluation.

Oversight & Advisory


Institutionally, these responsibilities will be managed through a combination of a new National ICT Council, a new National ICT Secretariat and a strengthened Department of Information Technology and E-Government Services (DITES). The following illustration gives a diagrammatic view of these relationships:

ICT Oversight & Advisory

The Honourable Premier

The National ICT Strategy is a transformational undertaking that requires active participation and support from all sectors and societies in Montserrat in order to be successful. The Honourable Premier is the ICT Champion, and will ensure effective sponsorship and coordination of the National ICT Strategy and give a regional voice for Montserrat’s ICT interests. The Ministry of Communications, Works and Labour

Overall responsibility for the National ICT Strategy and ICT policy formulation resides with the Ministry of Communications, Works and Labour (MCWL). MCWL will undertake the successful implementation and execution of the National ICT Strategy, and will provide regular status updates to Cabinet in this regard. MCWL will work closely with the Cabinet Secretariat on matters of ICT policy formulation and formalisation. National ICT Council

A National ICT Council will be established to deal specifically with the oversight and advisory functions. Appointed by Cabinet, and reporting to the Minister of Communications, Works and Labour, the National ICT Council will function as the steering committee for the implementation and execution of the National ICT Strategy. The Council will also serve as an advisory body to the Minister of Communications, Works and Labour on matters of ICT policy and priority. The Council will assist in seeking funding and/or financial support for the Strategy’s many initiatives and incubation-type activities.

Ministry of Communications, Works & Labour

National ICT Secretariat

(NEW)

...

National ICT Council

(NEW)

Office of The Premier

DITES

(STRENGTHENED)...

Cabinet Secretariat


The composition of the National ICT Council takes into account the need for effective coordination between key agencies, groups and stakeholders. It represents a coming together of suitable persons from the public sector, private sector and civil society, who together provide the level of expertise and experience necessary for effective oversight of the National ICT Strategy. The National ICT Council’s proposed membership comprises the following:

# Agency/Stakeholder/Group ICT Council Member

Rationale/Justification for Membership

1 Ministry of Communications, Works and Labour

Permanent Secretary (CHAIR)

Represents the Ministry responsible for Government’s ICT function.

2 Office of the Premier Permanent Secretary

Represents the interests of the Honourable Premier, who functions as the Champion of the ICT Strategy

3 Montserrat Info-Communications Authority

Executive Manager

Responsible for regulation of the telecommunications sector.

4 Department of Information Technology and E-Government Services

Director Responsible for coordination and implementation of intra-governmental ICT initiatives.

5 Government Information Unit / Montserrat Multimedia Corporation

Director Responsible for Government communication and media. Provides insights into the use of social media for enhanced public engagement.

6 Business Community – Banking / Financial Services

Representative Brings the perspective from the banking / financial community. Provides insights for electronic payment and various financing considerations.

7 Business Community – Small Business Association

Representative Represents the interests of Montserrat’s MSME sector and doing business in Montserrat.

8 Academic Community Representative Considers the broader issues of knowledge and skills development.

9 Diaspora Community Trade Economist – Office of the Premier

Represents the Diaspora and concerns related to international trade and doing business with Montserrat.

10 National ICT Secretariat Director (ex-officio)

Responsible for the implementation and execution of the National ICT Strategy, and the provision of secretariat support to the National ICT Council.

ICT Development & Implementation

National ICT Secretariat A dedicated team of ICT specialists will be assembled to coordinate and manage the implementation and execution of the National ICT Strategy. This National ICT Secretariat (NICTS) will be established within the Ministry of


Communications, Works and Labour, and at a minimum will incorporate staff with the following capabilities/expertise:

• ICT generalist skills;

• ICT project management;

• ICT policy formulation; and

• ICT monitoring and measurements.

In the context of the National ICT Strategy’s implementation and execution, NICTS will be responsible for:

• Managing the suite of programmes and projects identified in the National ICT Strategy;

• Creating the necessary Expressions of Interest, Terms of Reference and Requests for Proposals;

• Managing and evaluating the performance of ICT suppliers/vendors/consultants/service providers under contract;

• Creating and revising ICT policies and standards; and

• Tracking Montserrat’s ICT progress according to select national ICT measurement frameworks, such as those developed by the ITU, OSILAC, WEF and EIU.

In addition to these substantive duties, which are not exhaustive, NICTS will also provide secretariat support to the National ICT Council.

DITES

The function of developing and implementing intra-Governmental ICT initiatives is currently the responsibility of the Department of Information Technology and E-Government Services (DITES). Given the role and capacity of DITES in this regard, as well as the requirement for Government to be an early adopter of ICTs (as per the Adoption focus area of the National ICT Strategy), DITES will be appropriately strengthened. Accordingly, DITES’ existing capabilities will be augmented with skills in the following areas:

• Project management;

• Business analysis / business process reengineering; and

• Information management.

ICT Monitoring & Evaluation

National ICT Council

The responsibility for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the National ICT Strategy will reside with the Cabinet-appointed National ICT Council. The National ICT Secretariat will prepare and submit reports to the National ICT Council, approximately every two months, with details such as


the list of projects underway; the status of each project; the concerns and related measures to be taken, if any, for each project; and the indicators to be used in measuring the success of each project. The Council will be responsible for evaluating the effectiveness of the approach to implementation and execution, as well as the success of the outcomes for each of the ICT Strategy’s programmes/projects.

7.2 Funding

Government will establish a central ICT fund to enable the successful implementation and execution of the various programmes/projects identified in the National ICT Strategy. The fund will be managed by the National ICT Council, given its role in the oversight, direction and prioritisation of national ICT efforts. Additionally, Government will continue to seek financial support and assistance from regional and international agencies. The finalisation of this National ICT Plan document (i.e. the National ICT Policy, Strategy and Implementation Plan) will serve to increase the likelihood of a favourable response from potential donor and lending agencies.

7.3 Change Management

The National ICT Strategy is deliberately not focused on the technology itself but rather on how the technology might be utilised to automate and transform business processes for the efficient and effective delivery of business and Government services to customers and citizens. The introduction of technological solutions will therefore be accompanied by actual reengineering of the ways of doing things as opposed to essentially just automating existing “paper” processes. Implementations must seize opportunities for cost, resource and time savings as well as service delivery improvements through proper forward planning of the new technology-enhanced processes. Appropriate training and capacity building for staff and delivery support personnel will hence be key activities in the implementation of all programmes and projects.

7.4 Stakeholder Management

This National ICT Strategy is meant to bring value to all aspects of Montserratian life, including the contexts of business, leisure, education, Government and the Diaspora. Its initial and ongoing success requires the support and involvement of Montserratians everywhere. This will be achieved through the development and coordination of an effective Communication Plan that seeks to regularly engage and appropriately involve all key stakeholders. The Communication Plan will also include provisions for the dissemination of relevant and timely information to international stakeholders and interest groups. This ensures that key developments and achievements/successes associated with the National ICT Strategy are communicated in a way that will ultimately benefit the people of Montserrat.


7.5 Additional Considerations

Implementation of the National ICT Strategy will be further supported, facilitated and/or enhanced by considering the following:

• Possible alignment with the ITU and OSILAC measurement frameworks for ICT. This would allow Montserrat to more effectively compare its own progress with other countries. Such alignment would position Montserrat for easier inclusion in key international ICT surveys – e.g. WEF’s Global Information Technology Report and EIU’s Digital Readiness Survey.

• Establishing and/or strengthening relationships with organisations such as the Commonwealth Secretariat, UN-ECLAC, ITU, CDB, CTU, CANTO and EU in order to leverage their wealth of knowledge and resources.

• Exploring the possibilities for assistance through the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Government of Montserrat and the Government of India. For instance, India’s ITEC programme can potentially place technical expertise in some critical ICT areas.

• Considering the establishment of MOU type relationships with the Governments of Malta and Canada, for example, in order to draw on their experiences with national ICT undertakings.

• Reaching out to some of the multi-national ICT organisations that may have an interest in providing assistance to Montserrat, as part of their corporate social responsibility.

• Identifying ‘Quick Wins’ (due for completion within six months) through an inventory of existing ICT initiatives, with a view to recognising and celebrating their individual achievements. These can serve to build traction and demonstrate value during the early stages if the National ICT Plan’s implementation.

• Possible hosting of an international briefing session with potential partner agencies in order to introduce Montserrat’s National ICT Plan. These agencies can then be invited to identify areas in which they may be interested in providing assistance and support.


8 References

Caribbean Center for Development Administration, Draft 2010 – 2014 CARICOM eGovernment Strategy

Caribbean Telecommunications Union/International Development Research Centre (2011), Evidence for Caribbean ICT Policy Development – Caribbean ICT Policy Rapid Response Initiative

CARICOM Secretariat, Draft Caribbean Regional Digital Development Strategy 2010 - 2014

Center for International Development at Harvard University, Readiness for a Networked World – A Guide for Developing Countries

Commonwealth Secretariat, Commonwealth Good Governance 2010 - National ICT Policy Formulation and Strategic Planning

Department of Public Works, Montserrat Energy Policy 2008 – 2027

Dr. Annalee C. Babb (2008) on behalf of the Government of Montserrat, Communications Strategy – Strengthening Radio Montserrat and the Government Information Unit

Dr. Annalee C. Babb (2009) on behalf of the Government of Montserrat, Re-creating the Spirit of Montserrat – Final Project Report and Transitional Recommendations

Economist Intelligence Unit, Digital Economy Rankings 2010: Beyond e-readiness, a report from the Economist Intelligence Unit

Emmanuel C. Lallana (2004), An Overview of ICT Policies and e-Strategies of Select Asian Economies, UNDP-APDIP ICT4D Series

Government of Barbados, National Information and Communication Technologies Strategic Plan of Barbados 2010 – 2015: An Efficient Networked Island

Government of Jamaica, E-Powering Jamaica – NICT Strategy 2012, Draft Master Implementation Plan

Government of Jamaica, National ICT Strategy Context and Background – Supporting Document to the E-Powering Jamaica 2012 NICT Strategy

Government of Malta, the smart island: The National ICT Strategy for Malta 2008 – 2010

Government of Mauritius, National ICT Strategic Plan 2007 – 2011… now

Government of Montserrat, Info-Communications Development Act 2009

Government of Montserrat, Info-Communications Development (Amendment) Bill 2011

Government of Montserrat, Information Technology Scoping Report 2010


Government of Montserrat, Journey to Sustainable Prosperity – Montserrat Sustainable Development Plan 2008 – 2020

Government of Montserrat (2010), Final Report – Geothermal Exploration in Montserrat, Caribbean

Government of Montserrat, Towards a new Education Development Plan for 2011 to 2020

Government of Montserrat, A Model of Good Governance – EGovernment Strategy 2010

Government of Montserrat, Strategic Plan 2011 – 2014: Ministry of Communications, Works and Labour

Government of Qatar, National ICT Plan 2015: Advancing the Digital Agenda

Government of Seychelles, National ICT Policy – Connected to the Community, Connected to the World

Government of Singapore, Realising the iN2015 Vision, Singapore: An Intelligent Nation, A Global City, Powered by Infocomm

Government of St Kitts and Nevis, National Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Strategic Plan 2006

Government of Trinidad and Tobago, National Information and Communication Technology Strategy 2005, fastforward – Accelerating into the digital future,

International Telecommunication Union, ITU News – What should be in a national broadband plan, September 2011

Richard Labelle (2005), ICT Policy Formulation and e-Strategy Development: A Comprehensive Guidebook, UNDP-APDIP ICT4D Series

Sadja Qureshi (2010), Information and Communication Technology Maturity: Determining access and use of ICT infrastructures to build capabilities for development

Statistical Department Montserrat, National Accounts Statistics 2009, Ministry of Economic Development & Trade

The University of the West Indies (2011), Business Development Study of the Montserrat Volcano Observatory

United Nations, Core ICT Indicators – Partnering on Measuring ICT for Development

United Nations, Global e-Government Survey 2010

United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (2011), An Assessment of the Economic Impact of Climate Change on the Health, Tourism and Transport Sectors in Montserrat


World Economic Forum, The Global Competitiveness Report 2011 – 2012

World Economic Forum, The Global Information Technology Report 2010 – 2011, Transformations 2.0

W. P. Aspinall et al (2002), The Montserrat Volcano Observatory: its evolution, organization, role and activities.


Appendix A: International and Regional ICT Efforts International ICT Efforts

World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)

The United Nations, in its attempts to bridge the global digital divide, organised the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). The essence of WSIS is to build an inclusive Information Society; to put the potential of knowledge and ICTs at the service of development; to promote the use of information and knowledge for the achievement of internationally agreed development goals; and to address new challenges of the Information Society, at the national, regional and international levels.

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

The United Nations has articulated 8 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for achievement by 2015. Summarily these are to:

1. Eradicate extreme poverty & hunger; 2. Achieve universal primary education; 3. Promote gender equality and empower women; 4. Reduce child mortality; 5. Improve maternal health; 6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; 7. Ensure environmental sustainability; and 8. Develop a global partnership for development.

Regional ICT Efforts

eLAC2015 (e-Latin America & the Caribbean)

The United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UN-ECLAC) is driving eLAC2015, a strategy which states that “Information and Communication Technologies are tools for economic

development and social inclusion”. This strategy has been developed specifically for the Latin American and Caribbean region in accordance with the MDGs and WSIS.

Regional Digital Development Strategy (RDdS)

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat is actively pursuing its Regional Digital Development Strategy (RDdS) geared towards the achievement of “An inclusive Regional Knowledge Society, driving sustainable

development”. It proposes to use ICT and other appropriate technologies to leverage and strengthen the Caribbean region’s resources, through high-speed ICT networks and trained human resources, and within good governance and sound operating partnership networks; in order to add social and economic value, for the benefit of the region.

CARICOM eGovernment Strategy 2010-2014

The Caribbean Centre for Development Administration (CARICAD) compiled the CARICOM eGovernment Strategy 2010 – 2014 based on


collaboration with several CARICOM member states and regional institutions. The Strategy sets out to accelerate sustainable improvements in public service delivery within the CARICOM region, through the use of ICTs. It identifies seven strategic initiatives, namely: organisational capacity development; eGovernment framework; program management; common ICT procurement; interoperability; ICT-enabled service delivery channels; and eCommerce environment.

Electronic Government for Regional Integration Project (EGRIP)

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) is in the process of implementing its Electronic Government for Regional Integration Project (EGRIP). EGRIP seeks to promote the efficiency, quality and transparency of public services through the delivery of regionally integrated e-Government applications that take advantage of economies of scale.

Caribbean Internet Governance Forum (CIGF)

The Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU), through the Caribbean Internet Governance Forum (CIGF), is engaging regional stakeholders for the development of an appropriate framework of policies and structures for Internet governance in the Caribbean.

Caribbean Spectrum Management

The CTU’s Caribbean Spectrum Management project is actively building spectrum management expertise in the Caribbean and harmonising policy approaches to spectrum management in the region. Essentially, it is seeking to promote a regional environment of regulatory certainty that encourages private sector participation and investment and ensures that spectrum is utilised efficiently, economically and rationally in keeping with the rapid evolution of wireless technologies and services.

Harmonisation of ICT Policies, Legislation and Regulatory Procedures (HIPCAR)

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), in collaboration with the CARICOM Secretariat and the CTU, is actively supporting Caribbean countries in improving their competitiveness through the harmonisation of ICT policies, legislation and regulatory procedures (HIPCAR). CARICOM considers this to have a major role to play in developing and further integrating its member states, especially in the context of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).


Appendix B: Montserrat’s e-Readiness

The Center for International Development (CID) at Harvard University, a highly acclaimed institution in e-Readiness research, defines an ‘E-Ready’ society is one that has the necessary physical infrastructure (high bandwidth, reliability, and affordable prices); integrated current ICTs throughout businesses (e-commerce, local ICT sector), communities (local content, many organisations online, ICTs used in everyday life, ICTs taught in schools), and the government (e-government); strong telecommunications competition; independent regulation with a commitment to universal access; and no limits on trade or foreign investment. The CID framework systematically organises the assessment of numerous factors that determine the Networked Readiness of a community in the developing world. It examines 19 different categories of indicators, ranking each by levels of advancement in Stages 1 through 4 (1 being the lowest and 4 being the highest). The framework is not intended to provide an overall score, but rather to offer broad insights for ICT planning. It is held that a community should not concentrate solely in any one area, but must give due consideration to each. The 19 said categories fall within the following five groups:

Consistent with the CID assessment guide, Montserrat’s e-Readiness was determined as per the five groups and 19 categories therein, with the following results:


‘Access’ considers the availability, cost and quality of ICT networks, services and

equipment.

CATEGORY INDICATOR STAGE

ACCESS

Information infrastructure 3

Internet availability 2

Internet affordability 2

Network speed and quality 2

Hardware and software 2

Service and support 2

‘Learning’ considers the degree to which ICTs are integrated into the education

system and processes to improve learning.


LEARNING

Schools’ access to ICTs 2

Enhancing education with ICTs 2

Developing the ICT workforce 2

‘Society’ considers how individuals use ICTs at work and in their personal lives. It

also looks at ICT employment opportunities.


SOCIETY

People and organisations online 3

Locally relevant content 3

ICTs in everyday life 3

ICTs in the workplace 2

ACCESS

The minimum necessary condition for Readiness is access to adequate network infrastructure. Without access to global communications networks, no community can participate in the Networked World.

LEARNING

Without an educated, ICT-savvy populace, no community can fully participate in the Networked World. To foster this resource, ICTs must be incorporated into the learning system.

SOCIETY

Readiness depends upon the community’s incorporation of ICTs into the fabric of its activities in order to maximise the gains of joining in the Networked World.


‘Economy’ considers how businesses and government are using ICTs to interact with

the public and with each other.


ECONOMY

ICT employment opportunities 2

B2C electronic commerce 2

B2B electronic commerce 2

e-Government 3

‘Policy’ considers whether the ICT environment hinders or promotes growth of ICT

adoption and use.


POLICY Telecommunications regulation 2

ICT trade policy 2

ECONOMY

Businesses and governments that are able to effectively employ ICTs find more sophisticated and efficient ways of managing their external relationships and communications.

POLICY

Public policy can be a help or a hindrance to the networked economy. The favorable climate that public policy can create for Internet use and e-commerce encourages communities, organisations and individuals to invest in and use ICT.


Appendix C: Detailed Implementation Roadmap

eeeenvironment

ICT Policy Objective: To ensure the existence of an enabling legal and regulatory environment that promotes ICT-facilitated

activities and development in a secure, ethical, environmentally sensitive and economically sustainable way.

STRATEGIC

THRUSTS

KEY PROGRAMMES SDP

Goal

KEY PROGRAMME ELEMENTS TARGETS TIMELINES KEY AGENCIES

1. Utilise ICTs to

promote the

sustainable

use and

management

of the natural

environment

and resources

Montserrat: Go Green (Powered by ICTs)

SG 1 SG 3

Media and ICT-related initiatives to build population awareness of “green” practices in routine activities. Expedite completion of the national power supply upgrade to support reliable use of ICT and promote the supply of ample, reliable energy through use of smart and energy efficient ICT solutions.

Develop media plan and activities to ingrain “green” into the national psyche More efficient diesel plant in place Utilise smart grid technology solutions to minimize energy wastage Evaluate the feasibility of private power generation, based on renewable energy sources, with potential for selling excess to the public grid

2012

2014

2014

2015

GIU, MUL, Cabinet Secretariat

MUL, MCWL MUL, MCWL MUL, MCWL


STRATEGIC

THRUSTS

KEY PROGRAMMES SDP

Goal


Promote adoption of ICT solutions for energy and resource efficiency.

Renewable energy generation plant in service to meet at least 60% of energy needs Publish guidelines for GOM and other commercial entities to monitor and schedule energy consumption to minimize peak load on system Automated monitoring and scheduling of water storage and supply to schedule and control pumps on the distribution network.

2016

2013

2014

MUL, MCWL

MUL

MUL, MCWL

Disaster Management & Mitigation

SG 3 DMCA to coordinate planning and dissemination of policies and procedures for emergency use of public and private telecommunications systems and assets for public information, alerts, safety and interaction.

Complete update of overarching disaster mitigation plan (Include provisions for the role of amateur radio operators and use of the free-to-air TV station). Integrate GIS maps into disaster management plan systems and documents

2012

2013

DMCA, Red Cross, all emergency services, ICT service providers, broadcasters, MICA DMCA, Physical Planning


STRATEGIC

THRUSTS

KEY PROGRAMMES SDP

Goal


Establish, administer and maintain national emergency communications infrastructure, plan and procedures.

Commission server to enable simultaneous alerting / messaging across multiple communications platforms (sirens, emergency radios, broadcast media. Internet) Define and implement required redundancy enhancements in national disaster management communication systems

2012

Define: 2012 Implement:

2013

DMCA, DITES

DMCA, DITES, Info-Comms service providers

Climate Change Monitoring Station

SG 3 Technical and resource capacity to make Montserrat a climate change monitoring location, relevant within the international scientific community.

Complete feasibility study and action plan for climate change monitoring station Implementation and operations undertaken as determined

2012

As determined

Environmental

Department

Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO) – ICTs used to enhance contribution of the MVO to Montserrat’s economy and raise Montserrat’s international profile

SG 1 SG 3

MVO as a nucleus around which skills, including ICT skills, can be developed in support of Montserrat’s socio-economic development

In consultation with UWI and the Education Ministry, reassess the feasibility and develop a business plan for enhancing academic work activities and revenues at the MVO: - Special programmes

2012

MVO, UWI, DMCA, MCC, Ministry of Education


STRATEGIC

THRUSTS

KEY PROGRAMMES SDP

Goal


Utilise MVO as a key aspect of Montserrat’s tourism product.

in volcanology, geology involving distance learning

- Niche collaborations / internships with foreign institutions

Enhance and maintain bandwidth available to MVO to meet current and development needs for operations, academic initiatives, backups etc. Develop a tourism product which incorporates MVO data and media assets and ICT connectivity - Media promotion of

MVO tourism, education hub

- Online sales of memorabilia

- Volcano Interpretation Centre in Little Bay with Virtual video tours

2012 and ongoing

2012 and ongoing

2012

2016

MVO, DITES

Ministry of

Tourism, MVO, DITES, Local ICT stakeholders / developers

e-Waste Management SG 3 Create policy and legislation to treat with the appropriate disposal of electronic waste (e-Waste).

e-Waste policy developed e-Waste legislation passed

2013

2014

Ministry of Health

& the Environment, Attorney General, Cabinet Secretariat


STRATEGIC

THRUSTS

KEY PROGRAMMES SDP

Goal


2. Establish a

robust legal

and

regulatory

framework

that enables

and supports

business,

encourages

enterprise,

and

engenders

public trust

and

confidence in

ICTs

e-Legislation SG 2 SG 4

Review of the legislative framework to identify and treat with existing gaps. Update/create key policies, legislation and/or regulations that treat with issues such as:

• Computer misuse

• Electronic transactions (digital equivalence)

• Data protection and privacy

• Cybercrime

• Intellectual property

• Exchequer and Audit (electronic payments)

• Child Protection Policies (look into ITU work in this area)

Build capacity to enforce cybercrime legislation and deal effectively with related offences (includes detection and prosecution)

e-Legislation Gap analysis completed Legislation and regulations in place, as appropriate Specialised enforcement agencies identified and established with adequate trained staff and expertise

2012

2013-2015 (links with HIPCAR)

2014

Attorney General, Cabinet Secretariat, Financial Services Commission, Police Department, DITES Police Department, Cabinet Secretariat, Financial Services Commission

Montserrat CSIRT (Computer Security Incident Response Team)

SG 2 SG 4

Explore the feasibility of creating a local Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT) or partnering with a CSIRT in another appropriate jurisdiction.

Feasibility study completed CSIRT provisions / arrangement in place (guided by feasibility study)

2013

2013-2014

DITES, Police Department, Financial services Commission, MICA, .ms ccTLD Administrator


L earning

ICT Policy Objective: To enhance the capacity and propensity of, as well as opportunities for, the population to effectively,

innovatively and creatively use ICT tools for education, business, social, cultural and leisure purposes.

STRATEGIC

THRUSTS

KEY PROGRAMMES SDP

Goal


1. Enhance the

education

experience

and its

effectiveness

through

formal and

informal

channels

ICT in Education SG 2 Training of teachers and administrative staff in the use of ICT for education enrichment (e.g. in English, Mathematics, Sciences) Training of students in ICT-facilitated learning (research, assignments, interactive study) Integrate ICTs into the curriculum (ICT as a subject) Training of “private” teachers/educators in the use of ICTs for education

Laptops for secondary school teachers Participation in Commonwealth Secretariat’s Computers for Teachers (CFT) initiative Financial incentives for secondary school students to acquire laptops Curriculum revisions determined and made Plan formulated Training ongoing

2012

2012

2012

2013

2012

2013

Ministry of

Education, MCC, UWI, DITES

ICT Awareness & Impact

SG 2 Establish an annual “National ICT Week” to coincide with a major, on-island ICT events or workshop. Activities for the “National ICT Week” can include a school competition in ICT innovation culminating in a prize

Hosting of the National ICT Week

Mid-2013 (to coincide

with the CTU Roadshow)

MCWL, DITES, GIU, MICA, CSIRT, CTU


STRATEGIC

THRUSTS

KEY PROGRAMMES SDP

Goal


at the end of the week; free public lectures on ICT-related issues; ICT features aired on national broadcast channels; demonstrations / exhibitions of ICT equipment (e.g. video-conferencing, 3-D television, etc.); application of ICT in relevant sectors (e.g. agriculture, fishing, tourism, health, education, manufacturing) Partner with MICA and relevant industry players to sensitise the public about personal safety in using the Internet.

Launch of public communication programme supported by print and electronic media

2013 with Roadshow

and ongoing

MICA, MCWL, Service Providers

EMIS (Education Management Information System)

SG 2 SG 4

Enhance school administration by establishing school networks and an integrated portal for connecting Ministry of Education personnel, principals, teachers, parents and students)

EMIS up and running in all primary and secondary schools

2013 Ministry of

Education, DITES

The ICT Channel SG 2 Establish a multimedia communication channel with online and offline access that provides relevant ICT information packaged in an attractive and understandable way.

Initial weekly programme on ICT topics and impacts aired on GOM TV channel and online

Citizen’s indigenous local content featured on Channel

2012-2013

GIU, Ministry of Education, MCC, UWI Open Campus


STRATEGIC

THRUSTS

KEY PROGRAMMES SDP

Goal


The ICT Channel will:

• Inform and educate the public on ICT issues that affect their daily lives;

• Raise public awareness and appreciation of the benefits and risks of ICTs; and

• Provide a public forum to discuss ICT issues.

• Feature citizen-produced appropriate content

ICT channel developed online and on TV as content is built up

2015

2. Develop on-

island ICT

capability

and talent,

with a

propensity

for ICT-based

innovation

and

creativity

ICT Manpower Development

SG 2 Partner with the relevant institutions (local and foreign) to ensure the availability of certified ICT training courses in relevant technologies (e.g. Internet technologies, databases, networks, information security, open source technologies).

Popular ICT certifications available for study in Montserrat (e.g. A+, Network +, CISCO, Microsoft etc.)

mid-2013 MCC, UWI Open Campus

ICT Incubation SG 1 SG 2

Develop policies and programmes to encourage ICT innovation. This may require access to grant or concessionary funding and / or business incubator facilities for micro entrepreneurs.

Micro-financing up to EC$ 40K

2012 MDC


A ccess

ICT Policy Objective: To enable universal, open, affordable, wired and wireless access to high capacity, high availability, national

and international broadband infrastructure, technology and services.

STRATEGIC

THRUSTS

KEY PROGRAMMES SDP

Goal


1. Ensure

ubiquitous,

robust,

affordable, on-

island and

international

ICT

infrastructure

and

broadband

connectivity

National Broadband Strategy

SG 1 Develop a national broadband strategy with input from service providers and other stakeholders to define relevant services, technology options and localities. Define end user broadband service (e.g. minimum of 5Mbps). Determine architecture for robust and resilient national, high bandwidth infrastructure and redundant international connectivity. Consider use of wired and ubiquitous wireless connectivity to support economic priorities e.g. tourism, agriculture, fisheries, etc.

National Broadband Policy approved by Cabinet Broadband Strategy developed through consultation Municipal wi-fi included in Little Bay development plan

2012

2013

2012

MCWL, MICA, DITES, Ministry of Finance, Service Providers, Cabinet Secretariat

Enhanced ICT Infrastructure and Info-Communications Services

SG 1 Facilitate new market entrants or public/private partnerships (PPPs) to drive the build out of telecoms facilities, and enhance service choices and affordability (e.g. availability of long term financing for

Underground ducting from Salem to St. John’s, and Little Bay A competitive, vibrant Info-communications

2013

2016

MCWL, MICA MICA, MCWL


STRATEGIC

THRUSTS

KEY PROGRAMMES SDP

Goal


enhanced viability of business cases; periodic review of service operator fees). Assess the feasibility of instituting self-financing mechanisms such as a universal service fund (USF), based on actual market revenue and vibrancy.

sector achieved through strategic facilitation of service provider proposals USF in place (based on results of feasibility study

2014

MICA

International Fibre Connectivity

SG 1 Expedite and drive the re-establishment of international fibre connectivity. Pursue development financing/funding or private/public partnerships (PPPs) to overcome commercial challenges.

International fibre in place undersea, with new cable landing station in Montserrat

2014 MCWL, DITES, MICA

Governance of Internet Resources

SG 1 SG 4

Regulatory oversight to maintain technically and administratively viable operation of the “.ms” country code Top Level Domain (.ms ccTLD). Encourage local Internet traffic exchange and/or prompt the development of a national Internet Exchange Point (IXP) in the event of multiple local Internet Service Providers (ISPs).

Continually efficient ccTLD operation Local peering or IXP as appropriate.

Ongoing

Currently no benefit with

only 1 ISP

MICA

MICA


STRATEGIC

THRUSTS

KEY PROGRAMMES SDP

Goal


2. Develop a

connected

population,

who routinely

and effectively

use ICTs in

their everyday

lives

One-to-One (1-to-1) SG 1 SG 2 SG 4

Achieve a ratio of 1 suitable Internet connectivity device (laptop, desktop, tablet computer, smart phone, e-reader, etc.) to every 1 resident. Based on need and intended use, the type of device would vary from resident to resident. Supporting considerations include:

• Institute appropriate tax and duty incentives to encourage investment, moderate the prices of consumer devices and enhance usage.

• Eliminate or reduce duties on smartphones, laptops, tablets and consumer networking devices.

Policy position determined Incentives determined consistent with policy Revised duties implemented consistent with policy

2013

2013

2013

Office of the

Premier, DITES, Cabinet Secretariat Ministry of Finance


V irtual

ICT Policy Objective: To promote the use of ICT tools for establishing and supporting physical and virtual communities and

interests groups to preserve and enhance Montserratian cultural identity and values amongst the resident

population and the Diaspora.

STRATEGIC

THRUSTS

KEY PROGRAMMES SDP

Goal


1. Actively

include and

involve the

Diaspora to

establish and

develop

Montserrat’s

virtual

population

Virtual Montserrat SG 1 SG 4 SG 5

Maintain an online Diaspora registry and skills bank to enlist the Diaspora in local business operations through use of ICT solutions such as teleworking and videoconferencing. This may be especially useful in cases such as finding suitable directors for board membership, international marketing facilitation and representation at international fora. Facilitate online access to and electronic payment for Government and locally supplied services of interest to the Diaspora. Facilitate the creation of opportunities to derive economic value from the Diaspora such as business development incentives or public/private partnerships for online store fronts for Montserrat-based businesses.

Diaspora skills bank project initiated Online skills database/registry created Technology in place for secure, remote collaboration (e.g. teleconferencing, videoconferencing) Arrangements in place with at least 1 payment gateway provider (e.g. RBC, BOM) Investment/business opportunities formally advertised/published to the international community (e.g. Diaspora)

2012

2013

2013

2012

2013

Office of the

Premier

(Diaspora affairs), DITES, Tourist Board

Ministry of

Finance

(Treasury), DITES

Office of the

Premier

(Diaspora affairs), DITES, Economic Development & Trade


STRATEGIC

THRUSTS

KEY PROGRAMMES SDP

Goal


Montserrat Market e-commerce platform (private sector or Government facilitated)

MDC, Economic Development & Trade

2. Leverage ICT

to promote

Montserratia

n heritage

and develop

virtual

communities

and interest

groups

Montserrat Heritage Online

SG 1 SG 2 SG 3 SG 5

Digitise local media content and archives. Establish platforms for electronic access to Montserratian heritage content (on a commercial or non-profit basis) – e.g. Virtual Museum of Montserrat - with on and off-island secure repositories for digital assets

Digitisation plan identifying and prioritising high value content, storage modalities and annual budget/resource requirements Digitisation programme initiated Research report identifying options for enabling content access, with recommendations Content access system in place

Dec 2012

2013

2014

2015

GIU, Montserrat Public Library, Montserrat National Trust, Museum

GIU, Montserrat Public Library, Montserrat National Trust, Museum

Montserrat Community Values

SG 2 SG 3 SG 5

Optimise use of Government and private sector media resources for promoting wholesome Montserratian values and activities

Implement plan for consolidation of Government media resources Public/private partnerships for training private sector groups in media usage, writing, production development

2012

2013

MCWL

GIU, Media Houses, NGOs, Churches, Gov’t Ministries


STRATEGIC

THRUSTS

KEY PROGRAMMES SDP

Goal


Montserrat Communities Online

SG 1 SG 2 SG 3 SG 4 SG 5

Create and manage online collaboration spaces to support virtual communities of interest (residents and non-residents): - Montserrat news - Community focus - Special event coverage e.g.

Festival - Volcano or other reports from the

MVO, DMCA - Sector communities – Tourism,

Agriculture, Fishing, etc. Utilise the facilities of the .ms Registry to establish .ms as Montserratians’ home on the Internet.

Create a plan to increase quantity and frequency of content from Montserrat’s government information unit, private/citizen sources, community news and media houses: - Weekly video content

sharing with other media

Training for private sector and community groups in web tools and social media Online Yellow Pages style directory of .ms web sites

2012

2013

2012

GIU, Ministries, media houses

Gov’t Ministries,

GIU, Media Houses, NGOs, Churches Ministry of

Tourism, Economic Development & Trade, .ms registry


A doption

ICT Policy Objective: To promote the early adoption and effective use of ICT by government and businesses for greater internal and

external communication, as well as for greater efficiency, visibility, availability and performance.

STRATEGIC

THRUSTS

KEY PROGRAMMES SDP

Goal


1. Excel in the

delivery of

public services

Modern and Model Government

SG 2 SG 4

Develop a multi-channel framework for delivering Government services to the public (e.g. online, telephone hotline, mobile phone, self-serve automates kiosks). Effective execution and coordination of the programmes and projects in the e-Government Strategy.

One-stop service windows Online payment of property taxes, drivers’ license, birth and death certificates Pilot of an online visa application for travel into Montserrat (source of revenue) DITES resourced to deliver on priority e-Government Strategy elements, including:

• Document management

• Smartstream HR module

• Property tax online

• Income tax online

• Registrar functions

• GIS enhancement

• GOM web portal

2013

2013

Mid-2012

2012 - 2013

DITES, MCWL, Ministry of Finance DITES, Foreign Affairs Ministry

DITES, respective Ministries/Agencies in which the services reside


STRATEGIC

THRUSTS

KEY PROGRAMMES SDP

Goal


Undertake Government Process Reengineering (GPR) to optimize key Government processes for greater efficiency, transparency and measurement.

Full implementation of the e-Government Strategy programmes Appropriate capacity building programme in GPR: Framework developed for business improvement / process reengineering using GPR tool kit Successful implementations achieved by appropriately trained personnel

2015

2012 - 2013

Q4 2012

2012 - 2016

DITES, respective Ministries/Agencies in which the services reside

Cabinet

Secretariat, GOM HR, DITES, respective Ministries/Agencies in which the services reside

Government e-Procurement

SG 1 SG 4

Use an ICT platform (website / portal) to procure goods and services from the domestic and international markets. Use the e-Procurement platform for the issue of Government tenders / requests for proposals.

Public Finance and Management Act

2012 Ministry of

Finance, DITES

e-Democracy SG 2 SG 4 SG 5

Use Internet technologies for more effective and transparent public engagement, consultation and

Implemented with e-Government project to revamp Government’s

2012-2013

GIU, DITES


STRATEGIC

THRUSTS

KEY PROGRAMMES SDP

Goal


interaction (including the Diaspora) on matters of national policy and priority.

Internet portal Feedback mechanism implemented on all Government web sites

2012

2. Accelerate

business

development,

growth and

competitivene

ss through the

use of ICT

Montserrat: Open for e-Business

SG 1 Complete a gap analysis to determine all impediments to facilitating online trading of goods and services (door to door from supplier to customer and everything in between, including shipping, electronic payment, consumer complaints, etc.) Introduce tax concessions for businesses that acquire and deploy ICTs for the purpose of improving their efficiency and effectiveness, as well as for companies pioneering new markets in the ICT sector (e.g. manufacturing, cyber-security, software development) Promote Montserrat: Open for Business

Report identifying impediments and recommended corrective action/legislation Automated customs system fully operational Creation of a GOM policy to guide / inform how these concessions can be applied / granted Policy implemented Setup of the Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (TIPA) Use of appropriate new media technologies for promotion

Q3 2012

2012

Q4 2012

Q2 2013

2013

2013 and ongoing

Office of the

Premier (Trade

Dep’t), MDC, Financial Services Commission, Montserrat Customs and Revenue Services (MCRS), Small Business Association

Tourist Board, UK Office, Montserrat Associations in US and UK,


STRATEGIC

THRUSTS

KEY PROGRAMMES SDP

Goal


Online Market (B2B, B2C)

SG 1 Establish the business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) Online Market as a single trading space online where buyers and sellers of goods produced in/for/by Montserrat can transact securely and confidently. Promote the use of the online Market to encourage all businesses to participate in putting their “products” online.

Implementation driven by Government (vs. business community) with market regulated in a self-sustaining way (i.e. no real need for GOM involvement) Businesses registering and actively using the Online Market to transact with consumers

2013

2013 and ongoing

SBA, MDC, Trade Department, Tourism Board

ICT: Go Local SG 1 SG 2 SG 4

Encourage and support the development of the domestic ICT industry through deliberate efforts to involve Montserratian ICT manpower in Government’s ICT efforts. Include a requirement for local ICT sector participation in all International ICT tenders in order to provide opportunities for employment and knowledge transfer. Invite and encourage the local ICT sector to respond to Government’s ICT needs that fall below an agreed threshold (e.g. complexity, cost, duration).

Policy position adopted by Cabinet Standard clause developed for inclusion in international ICT tenders Policy position adopted by Cabinet to encourage local ICT sector development through Government ICT initiatives

2012

2012

2013

DITES, Ministry of Finance, Cabinet Secretariat, MCWL

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