Federation launches Information Technology Month
By Melissa Bryant
Reporter~SKNVibes.com
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE inaugural Information Technology Month was officially launched yesterday (Oct. 30) at the Sir Cecil Jacobs Auditorium and drew many distinguished officials and IT lovers who seemed ready to embrace the ‘high-tech’ initiative.
It promises to be an activity-filled month, as organisers have planned a myriad of events to heighten awareness and educate people about information technology.
Pierre Bowrin, an ICT Policy Advisor in the Department of Technology, said an ICT Open Week Centre would be held at the National ICT from November 24 to 28, which will give persons the opportunity to visit the centre and see its facilities that include training rooms and a video conferencing room.
He informed that there would also be technology displays in which companies would showcase their products and services, and an exhibition on the various technology used by the Taiwanese government.
“It is a way to show how the private sector and the government are using IT to advance their operations,” Bowrin said.
Career talks will be held in all secondary schools throughout the month, and a ‘Tech Talk’ radio programme with IT experts discussing various technology topics will be aired every Tuesday on ZIZ.
~~Adz:Right~~Several training courses will be available at the National ICT Centre during this month, including Introduction to Open Source, Introduction to Excel and a Training Course on Webpage Design using Google sites.
A highlight of these workshops is the e-Government Seminar scheduled for Thursday, November 27, where senior representatives from across the region will discuss the best methods to provide government service through the e-Government process.
The month-long activities will conclude with a public lecture at the UWI Centre, which will be conducted by OAS Director Starret Greene on Thursday, November 27.
According to the Minister with Responsibility for Information and Technology, the Hon. Nigel Carty, the purpose of IT Month is “to share the Ministry’s vision with the public”.
“We want to create a society in which every citizen, regardless of social, educational or financial status, is able to use the tools of information technology to further and enhance their lives,” he said.
