Here is the text of the speech given by the Minister of Communications
and IT which mentions the Government's plans for "infrastructure
development" which includes the "development of a Communications
Backbone for the Public Service and other matters related to
the provision of e-government services".

This will be discussed at the TTCS pizza lime on
Wednesday 23rd May 2001 from 6pm at Pizza Hut, Roxy Roundabout

Dev Anand Teelucksingh
Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society at http://www.ttcsweb.org
"networking local computer users!"

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ADDRESS BY THE HONOURABLE RALPH MARAJ,
MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
AT THE LAUNCH OF THE GILLETTE GROUP'S,
BROADBAND WIRELESS DIVISION AND ITS PRODUCT,
"PROXIMITY"
THURSDAY MAY 10, 2001
CHAGUARAMAS CONVENTION CENTRE, CHAGUARAMAS


Mr. Peter Gillette, Chairman, Gillette Group; Mr. Ian John, Marketing
Manager, Computers and Controls; Mr. John Lynch; ADC Telecommunications;
Mr. Oscar Peter of Nortel Networks; Ms. Christine Anderson of Nortel
Networks; Ms Satu Ramcharan, Marketing Manager, Open Telecom, Distinguished
guests, members of the media, ladies and gentlemen.

It is indeed a pleasure to have been invited by the Gillette Group to
deliver an address at the launch of your Broadband Wireless Division and
your latest product "Proximity". The word "Proximity", which means nearness
in space or time, is reflective of the effect of today's technology on the
global movement of information.

Today's technology has virtually rendered space and time irrelevant to the
development of global economies as the internet age has enabled mankind to
transport information from one part of the globe to another, almost
instantaneously.

Your product "Proximity" which promises to deliver high performance, high
bandwidth broadband solutions has therefore, been aptly labeled, as it has
the capacity to be inherently space and time defying.

Ladies and gentlemen the engines of the telecommunications sector in
Trinidad and Tobago are fired for a powerful take off. The marketing of
this new product at a time is indeed indicative of the keen foresight
displayed the by the Gillette Group, which has long been a leader in
marketing both wired and wireless telecommunications systems.

Your product Proximity, I am told, provides access and management solutions
to the customers of Open Telecom, which is a member of the Gillette Group.
The access solution is the provision of last-mile carrier services based on
an IP platform that can deliver both voice and data services to customer
premises. I am told that this last-mile carrier service is delivered at
reduced time and cost, when compared with similar wired solutions.

The issue of overcoming the last-mile bandwidth problem is one that
information technologists today are assiduously aiming to solve, as it
would provide domestic as well as corporate users of information technology
with a rapid throughway to the information super highway, which over the
last decade, has served as a platform for the phenomenal growth of many
global economies.

Phenomenal growth patterns have not only been reflective of first world
economies but also of those of some third world nations. India is a good
case in point. The information technology industry, which could be
considered the backbone of the information super highway, has over the last
ten years, added to that country's mainly agrarian economy, a multi-billion
dollar information technology based economy.

India, like Trinidad and Tobago, is party to a World Trade Organization
agreement, which steers member countries along the path of trade
liberalization, which includes trade in telecommunications services.

The Government of Trinidad and Tobago is committed to the goal of
liberalizing the telecommunications sector making it more attractive to
foreign as well as local investors, particularly in the area of information
and communications technology.

In furtherance of this goal, the Ministry of Communications and Information
Technology - the ministry that falls under my purview - was created. The
vision of my ministry, ladies and gentlemen, therefore is to facilitate the
creation of a globally competitive technology-driven society. To achieve
this goal, the ministry must therefore provide policy and strategic
direction.

Among the strategies to be employed by the ministry in realizing this goal
is to develop and oversee the implementation of a policy and legislative
framework for the information and communication sectors.

The Telecommunications Bill was recently passed in the Senate and is soon
to be presented in the House of Representatives. This piece of legislation
which is geared to liberalize this country's telecommunications sector, can
be viewed a catalyst to the transformation of Trinidad and Tobago's
economy.

However, ladies and gentlemen, this government, like governments around the
world, has recognized its inability to single-handedly transform the sector
to realize the vision we have placed before ourselves and the people of
Trinidad and Tobago. Transformation of the sector must be accomplished in
collaboration with the private sector.

Private sector partnership in the development of the telecommunications
sector is recognized not only by this government, but also by regional as
well as international governments.

At the conclusion of the Summit of the Americas in Quebec, Canada last
month, member states agreed to promote the modernization of the
hemisphere's telecommunications sector. They noted the leading role to be
played by the private sector in developing infrastructure and services for
the telecommunications sector's modernization. Ladies and gentlemen, not
only is there collective recognition of the need for private sector
partnership, but there is also acknowledgement by individual countries of
that reality.

Private sector partnership is recognizably crucial to the development of
the telecommunications sector of any country.

Government has on its agenda, therefore, not only the commitment to provide
the legislative framework for the growth of this sector but also
infrastructural development to facilitate its growth.

One of the very significant initiatives in the area of infrastructural
development was the appointment of an e-Government Director last year,
whose role is to oversee the development of a Communications Backbone for
the Public Service and other matters related to the provision of
e-government services.

The Public Service backbone is a precursory initiative to the provision of
comprehensive e-government services in Trinidad and Tobago.

E-government has an essential role to play in the information age as it
enhances the quality of services government offers to the public. A better
quality public service would ensure quicker access to services vital to
private sector activity, such as the acquisition of forms on-line for
various license and customs transactions.

Toward the establishment of the Public Service Backbone, my Ministry has
sought through the Central Tenders Board, a business partner to finance,
build, operationalize, implement and maintain the solution. The evaluation
of proposals has been almost completed. A business partner should be
selected soon so that the first stages of the project can commence by
mid-year.

Within the first six months of the award of the contract there will be a
pilot project involving approximately six ministries. The project would
entail the provision of an intranet to provide e-mail, e-scheduling and in
among the ministries involved in the pilot After identifying problems, and
successfully implementing the solutions, all ministries will be
incorporated within eighteen months of the end of the pilot project.

This means, ladies and gentlemen, that within approximately two years from
now, there would be full connectivity within the public service. Inside of
this two-year period, there would be the identification and prioritization
of products and services targeted for implementation during and beyond this
two-year period.

While networking and connectivity are not common factors within and among
government ministries, the exercise of outfitting offices with hardware and
soft ware continues. These units, with which offices are being outfitted,
while being utilized in the context of the operations of the offices, will
be linked via the backbone to facilitate interconnectivity and Internet
access.

In the interim, my ministry is establishing administrative infrastructure
for e-government so that work could progress at a steady pace with the
final selection of a partner.

Toward this end, Cabinet two weeks ago, agreed to a proposal for the
establishment of an Electronic Government Unit in the Ministry of
Communications and Information Technology. This unit, which would function
for a period of two years, will have as its main objective, co-
coordinating, supporting and facilitating the implementation of the
backbone.

The E-Government Unit will, therefore, be a separate specialized unit
within the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and would
have its own specialized staff, which includes a Director, Technology and
Technical Services; a Content Manager and a Network Application Support
Specialist.

Concomitantly, my ministry is involved is the training of staff in
preparation for e-government. The National Information Systems Centre,
which is a division of my ministry, has started training staff in various
computer awareness programmes. The pilot project saw the training of staff
within the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.
Additionally 15 members of the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service have been
trained. By the end of the year, members of staff of other ministries would
have been trained in various computer skills to enable them to provide you
the business sector with better service within the very near future.

Private sector telecommunications companies are bound to benefit from this
e-government initiative as one of the main aims for establishing the
backbone is to promote economic prosperity.

Another of the government's initiatives for a growth platform for the
telecommunications sector is the prudent management of the frequency
spectrum. There is much concern about the utilization of the spectrum, of
which, as I have said before, is an invisible but invaluable natural
resource of Trinidad and Tobago. This government recognizes the value of
the spectrum and therefore will be very careful and open in the management
of this resource in accordance with policy objectives in a liberalized
sector.

The Telecommunications Authority, when established, would have the
responsibility of ensuring the optimum use of the spectrum by foreign as
well as local investors. The Telecommunications Authority would be
established on the passage of the Bill.

Already my ministry has taken a proactive step to speed up the
establishment of the Authority by requesting expressions of interest from
eligible persons so that a database could be prepared from which a
selection of a suitable individual could be made to serve as the
Authority's Executive Director. This early selection would ensure the
immediate flow of function of the Authority upon the passage of the Bill.

Additionally, while the early selection process facilitates an early start
to the Authority's function, it is also a conditionality of the
Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF) administered by the Inter American
Development Bank, from which a grant was secured for a technical assistance
programme to modernize the local telecommunications sector.

I am committed to ensuring a very smooth transition from the present
administrative arrangement, to the establishment of the Authority, taking
into account the concerns of all players, big and small.

I will continue to advocate that the benefits of an enhanced economy as a
result of a vibrant telecommunications industry, must percolate down to the
ordinary citizen. None must be left out. None must suffer loss as a result
of the changes to come. In this battle for change, there must be no
casualties. All must be winners

We must not allow any of our people to fall through the cracks.

The government has taken the lead in this initiative; and if you, our
private sector partners who would be working alongside the government in
the development of the industry would ensure the welfare of your workers as
well, then not only would the flourishing industry have made an impact on
the country's economy, but also a very recognizable and memorable social
impact.

As Trinidad and Tobago emerges to a place where knowledge-based industries
are poised to stand alongside the energy sector in the generation of
wealth, we have the advantage of closely scrutinizing the best practices of
other countries.

What would be valuable to learn from some of the developed countries is
that, when there is the releasing of workers, because of downsizing, there
is a decreased market for the absorption of these goods and services as
these workers and their families cannot afford to purchase the products
offered by the "tight ship industries". Ladies and gentlemen, there are
economic consequences to social problems.

If the government and the private sector can work hand in hand to address
these very valid socioeconomic problems, there would be benefits to be
derived by members of every level of society.

Staff within the private sector as well as the public sector must become
computer literate. If we are to become the intelligent nation the
government envisions for Trinidad and Tobago, mindsets on the part of
employees as well as employers must change.

Therefore a mental shift, best initiated by the highest levels in both the
public and private sectors is necessary before technology can be
effectively integrated into both the planning and productive processes.

Therefore the ordinary worker must not see technology as a threat, but must
be trained to increase their efficiency by developing IT proficiency,
because the reality is, ladies and gentlemen, you as well as I know that
maybe even sooner than we think, information technology will become as
common place in the lives of human beings as a pen or pencil and paper, for
the transmission of information across short and long distances.

IT can and will transform the way we in Trinidad and Tobago conduct
business in every sector. Even the business of tourism can also be
transformed. We should no longer see ourselves as providers of only sun,
sea and sand to visitors to this country. We can also provide intelligent
tourism where the virtues of this country are intelligently presented using
information technology.

For example, the National Archives - which is also a division of my
ministry - is in the process of refurbishing and upgrading its physical and
technological infrastructure. There will be the installation of
state-of-the-art equipment, including computers for the public, as well as
overseas visitors in an aesthetically pleasing environment.

Visitors to the archives would be able to sit in comfort and peruse
information on this country's colourful history on networked computers. The
National Archives would therefore become a place of History and Culture -
national as well as international attraction. This is my vision for the
National Archives Division.

The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology therefore stands
very committed to play its role in the development of this country's
telecommunications industry. It is without a doubt that this country is a
society with a collective mindset for the growth of the industry. This
country has been steadily embracing the modern technology in a very overt
fashion over the last decade.

One area in which this is very evident is in the very widespread use of
cellular telephones in Trinidad and Tobago. Figures show that at the end of
December 2000, the number of wireline telephones in this country stood at
269,061. This figure reflects the number of telephones in use and acquired
over a number of decades. Interestingly though, figures also show that at
December 2000, the number of cellular telephones which were introduced into
this country roughly over one decade ago, stood at 127,300 and the demand
for these devices continue to climb as more and more persons recognize
their value for business transactions, personal convenience and safety and
transportability.

The demand for your wireless network and those of the other companies
already established, is evidence of the continued demand for cutting edge
information technology in Trinidad and Tobago. The demand for wireless and
wireline networking systems in this country is evidently increasing as
organizations continue to experience the need for connectivity, which no
doubt improves efficiency and thereby profitability.

Ladies and gentlemen, the commitment to provide a platform for change is
evident in recommendations submitted by my ministry to the Ministry of
Finance for inclusion in the 2002 Public Sector Investment Programme
(PSIP). The programmes and projects designed by the ministry to achieve our
objectives in the coming season, are estimated to cost the government
approximately $100 Million.

It is therefore clear that the government is very serious about "walking
the talk". We are committing the necessary resources to achieve
government's stated vision in its nine-point plan, especially in creating
an intelligent nation and providing a better quality of life for all
citizens. However, while we would all want to see changes take place
instantly, the reality is that structural change takes time - but we
actively pursue it.

At this time I want to again thank you for the opportunity of having me
here this morning and sharing the government's vision for the
Telecommunications Sector.

It gives me great pleasure to now formally launch your Broadband Wireless
Division and "Proximity" and to wish you great success in all your future
endeavours.

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