Information Minister Dr Edmund Mansoor revealed that the recently concluded ICT Fest and other IT initiatives are all part of the government’s attempts “demystify” ICTs, bridging not only the digital divide but, the divide between the developed and developing world. “It’s a great equaliser,” he said. One of the latest initiatives, announced at the fest is the plan for increased penetration of ICTs for educational purposes – building on what the Connect Antigua Barbuda Initiative has done with the Community Access Centres, the award winning mobile IT classrooms project, etc. Prime Minister Spencer, during the opening of the two-day fest last Wednesday, presented computers to two pre-schools – one public, one private – with the promise of broadband Internet as well. Dr. Mansoor said that all centres would be similarly outfitted within the next 18 months. With so much of government services already online, he was excited about a new site, still very early in the development phase. He was also buzzed about the closed circuit platform, the technical work for which he said is in progress.

“It does have both a crime deterrence value, crime prevention, and crime solving, so we want to incorporate into the criminal justice system,” Dr Mansoor said. The ICT Fest magazine explained that this is only the latest component of the Public Safety Communications Network. “The PCSN is a multi-million dollar, digital technology, powered public safety platform utilised by the Police, Fire Brigade, Defence Force, Coast Guard, Office of the National Drug Control and Money Laundering Policy (ONDCP), National Office of Disaster Services (NODS), Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Mt St John’s Medical Centre (MSJMC) and the Prison,” according to the magazine. Dr Mansoor was quick to give props to his staff – “I have a great team of people” – fresh from the mammoth undertaking that is the ICT Fest.