Caribbean ICT Experts Call For Regional Internet Taskforce

by Amanda Banks, Tax-News.com, London

13 September 2005

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) specialists from the Caribbean concluded their recent Internet Governance Forum in Georgetown, Guyana, last week, proposing a number of recommendations aimed at strengthening the governance and use of the Internet in the region.

High among the recommendations emanating from the Forum was the establishment of a regional Internet Governance Task Force or Secretariat designed to conduct research, formulate policy, and give technical guidance with regard to harmonised regional cyber laws.

Recognising the importance of a legal framework to support regional Internet Governance activities, the Forum also recommended that consideration be given to issues including patents, copyright, content creation, trademarks, privacy and freedom of expression.

The officials further called for a review of the Competition Laws, an examination of the impact of current and evolving treaties, the applicability of laws, (for example, those pertaining to digital signatures), and cyber security. In addition, a review of human, technical and financial resources was flagged as a priority issue.

A recommendation for the adoption of a regionally co-ordinated approach to Internet Governance also underpinned deliberations at the two-day Forum, where participants cited public and private sector and civil society partnerships as crucial to the Region’s Internet Governance improvement strategy.

The provision of adequate affordable local and international Internet access, as well as quality telecommunications service for Internet connectivity were also recommended at the meeting, with regard to the Region’s governance of the physical infrastructure of the Internet. Participants also felt that a reliable supply of electricity, multiple internet exchange points, and the development of broadband networks were necessary features.

The Internet Governance Forum was staged as a collaborative effort of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) and the CARICOM Secretariat from 5 to 6 September. The Keynote address was delivered by His Excellency Ambassador Trevor Clarke, Barbados’ Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) in Geneva, and member of the Working Group on Internet Governance.

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