Due to the range of challenges that Small Island Developing States (SIDS) face, SIDS advocate and ICT and digital economy expert, Tracy Hackshaw, gives us an update on the progress that has been made on the SIDS agenda, and on the digital economy and Internet Governance in the Caribbean region.

 

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Thanks to the weather and climatic challenges that have been experienced over the past year, we, here in the Caribbean region, are continually reminded of how vulnerable we are as Small Island Developing States (SIDS). However, our vulnerability does not end at just those of the natural environment. Economic and logistics-based challenges are also symptomatic of SIDS, of which Caribbean countries are also familiar, and frequently tend to result in, among other things, the high cost of living and the high cost of doing business, which not only affect our global competitiveness, but also the quality of life and livelihood of our citizens.

Having said this, and based on our conversation with ICT and Digital Economy Strategist, Tracy Hackshaw, last year, it does not appear that Caribbean countries fully appreciate the implications of being SIDS, and consequently, are being proactive in addressing the issue. As we approach the end of 2019, we thought it opportune to revisit the subject with Tracy, to determine whether there had been any new development with respect to the SAMOA Pathway and the SIDS Agenda.

Tracy Hackshaw

Tracy Hackshaw has nearly 25 years of local, regional and international experience spanning work in the public and private sectors. He was integrally involved in the design and implementation of several globally recognized award-winning initiatives, including SurePay, ttconnect, TTBizLink, and Star.tt, for the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.

Tracy is also a highly regarded expert in Internet Governance. Currently, he is the Latin American and Caribbean Regional At Large member on the 2019 ICANN Nominating Committee, and the co-Coordinator of the Dynamic Coalition on Small Island Developing States in the Internet Economy (DC-SIDS) at the United Nations Internet Governance Forum. Tracy  is also a Director of the Trinidad & Tobago Multistakeholder Advisory Group, and is actively involved in Internet Governance activities in Trinidad and Tobago.

So, based on the depth and breadth of Tracy’s knowledge and expertise, and in addition to discussing SIDs, we sought to get an update on what has been occurring in the IG and wider ICT space, along with new and emerging issues of which we should be aware. Hence issues covered in our conversation included:

  1. Whether the SIDS and ICT landscape have changed since our conversation in 2018
  2. Key ICT policy issues that currently are at the fore
  3. Whether the Caribbean region has more fully embraced to the SIDS agenda
  4. Tracy’s thoughts with respect to SIDS and our vulnerability to natural disasters, and the role ICT can and should be playing
  5. As a digital economy strategist, Tracy’s take on the state of the digital economy in the Caribbean region
  6. Where Caribbean countries should be placing their attention and effort in order to accelerate their transition to digital economies
  7. The difference between digital transformation and digital economy
  8. Internet Governance issues to which Caribbean countries should paying greater attention?
  9. SIDS-related issues that are likely to be tabled at the United Nations Internet Governance Forum next week, 25—29 November, in Berlin.

 

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Select links

Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that were mentioned, or might be useful:

 

 

Image credits:  Andrew Lloyd Gordon (Pixabay); M Lyndersay

Music credit:  Ray Holman