New Role For JISC After Leading Jersey Into Information Age

by Amanda Banks, Tax-news.com, London

19 June 2001

The Jersey government has announced that the role of the Jersey Information Society Commission (JISC) has been redefined by the Policy and Resources Committee to reflect the evolving nature of Jersey's e-commerce and IT industries.

Established two years ago JISC was awarded the responsibility of representing the Informations Systems and Information Technology (IS/IT) interests of the Island both internally, at government and business levels, and internationally. It was charged with a number of tasks including co-ordinating activity in four strategic priority areas - e-government, e-business, telecommunications and training & learning. Working groups covering thse areas were established from the membership of JISC which involved politicians, civil servants, and industry representatives.

Much of the initial work needed to establish an Island-wide strategic IS/IT framework has now been undertaken and the working groups have either completed their tasks or are in the process of handing them on to other bodies. The telecommunications strategy, for example, has now developed into the formation of the Jersey Competition Regulatory Authority while the training & learning strategy is to become the responsibility of the Education Department. 'JISC has done a great deal of work, successfully leading Jersey into the information age, but just like thei ndustries it represents it needs to evolve and develop. To keep up with the pace of change we need a body that can look to the future and identify the opportunities that will undoubtedly arise,' said Policy and Resources Committee president, Senator Pierre Horsfall.

The JISC is now destined to become more of an advisory body or 'think tank' with its new terms of reference to be determined in the near future. Senator Horsfall paid tribute to the work being done by IT/IS Strategy Adviser, Peter Griffiths. Mr Griffiths has led JISC through its first two years and is due to leave the Island at the end of his contract early next year. He will continue as chairman of JISC in the short term, continuing with project management and promotion and preparing plans for the body's new advisory role.

'The Policy and Resources Committee fully endorses Peter's plans for a "second generation" JISC that will act as an advisory group free from commercial interests, ' said Senator Horsfall. 'The Committee also approved the transition of other projects in anticipation of his departure next February.'

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