AS Caribbean people, we can boast of living in a beautiful part of the world. The weather is normally pleasant, we are surrounded by warm waters, we have many beautiful beaches, and our people are vibrant and friendly. It is also unfortunate that the same tropical waters that lap our shores also separates us. To connect with and meet our fellow Caribbean people, we must travel by boat or by plane. Our regional airline LIAT comes in for some criticism, since we need a bridge to connect us.
Other bridges exist, like ICT, to help us connect with each other within the region and beyond. How often do you use the traditional telephone or SMS messages, or even social media such as Skype, WhatsApp or Zoom to contact friends and family? If we made wise investments in ICT for regional communications, then we could revisit the events that require coordination, such as: regional workshops and conferences, high-level meetings, all of which have an impact on carbon emissions, our environment and our health.
Think about it! If we change our thinking and improve our connectivity, LIAT becomes less of a burden! What could we save? Let’s see:
* Reduced carbon emissions, since we travel less;
* Substantial energy savings, due to the reduced travel;
* Lower risk of mishaps, lost luggage, or delayed flights.
It is a long list. By remaining in-country, and meeting virtually, other benefits would include:
* More contact time with friends and family;
* Greater productivity as Civil Servants remain at work;
* Elimination of travel, accommodation and per-diem charges.
Our regional organisations like CARICOM and the OECS have much work to do, to effectively lead us in changing our mindsets, and our thinking. With the recent changes in the broadband market, where multiple competing providers have been reduced to a single FLOW, we should remain critical when our ICT bridge is threatened or compromised.
To effectively work together yet at-a-distance from each other, we would need some changed ways of working. Regional groups, institutions, NGOs, and think tanks should be the usual structures that we engage with. Just imagine the transformation if each government building had a special e-conference centre for virtual meetings, equipped with proper lighting, cooling, noise-reduction, cameras and high-quality broadband connections. Regional conferences, workshops, and heads of government meetings could be convened in a simplified and accelerated manner. The business of the Caribbean people could also move faster, without being constrained by poor weather conditions or travel connections.
We may be divided by the water which flows around us, but we must remain resolved to overcome these barriers.
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You may share your views and contact the author at: www.datashore.net or via The VOICE.
About the Author
Dr. Lyndell St. Ville is an ICT Consultant based in Saint Lucia. He builds capacity and advises on data management, systems analysis, and system development.