Is the internet we should want in 2024 different from the internet we wanted in 2014? The internet of 2014 has evolved considerably, but have our expectations of the internet and the ways we could be using it, kept up with the developments that have occurred? With Telecommunications/Internet Operations and Policy Strategist, Shernon Osepa, we discuss the current state of the internet in the Caribbean region and how we could be better leveraging it in 2024 and beyond.

 

This episode is also available on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music!!

The Internet. Where would we be without it? However, another important question that we rarely ask is, “The internet. What are we doing with it?”

The internet has been available in the Caribbean region for almost 30 years, since the mid-1990s, but became more widely available and accessible over the past 10 years, when smartphones became more affordable, and telecoms companies began to focus their competitive energies on mobile broadband services, with more attractive offerings and cheaper prices. Increasingly, it is becoming a constant in our lives and even has been designated a basic right by the United Nations.

However, while we enjoy all that the internet facilitates, such as improved productivity, convenience, and entertainment, we often overlook the fact that the internet is a tool we can use to improve our own lives and livelihoods, and more broadly, drive the economic and social development of our countries. But, to do so successfully, we need to be intentional about it and be clear about the goals or outcomes we want to achieve.

The above is the context for this week’s podcast episode and could be the start of a continuing conversation that we need to have.

 

Introducing our guest

Shernon Osepa is a seasoned telecommunications and Internet Operations and Policy professional with almost 30 years of experience. Currently, he is an Independent Consultant focusing on Internet Governance, telecommunications, utility regulation, cybersecurity, and natural disaster mitigation strategies. Key areas of interest are Small Island Developing States (SIDS), economic development and renewable energy developments.

Shernon is a fervent believer that the Internet is a key instrument to foster economic and social development whereby access and trust must be promoted. Until recently he was the Director of Caribbean Affairs and Development at the Internet Society (ISOC), and before that, he was the Manager, Regional Relations Caribbean at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). He also worked as a Policy Advisor with the Telecommunications and Post, the regulatory authority in the Netherlands Antilles, and has held different positions at the incumbent telecoms operator Setel/UTS in Curaçao.

Shernon holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Professional Studies in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Professional Studies in Enschede, the Netherlands and a Master’s in Telecommunications Regulations and Policy from the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago. He is fluent in several languages including English, Spanish, Dutch, and Papiamento, and has a working understanding of French and Portuguese.

Shernon is based in Curaçao, Dutch Caribbean.

 

Insights into your conversation

Is the internet we should want in 2024 different from the internet we wanted in 2014? The internet of 2014 has evolved considerably, but have our expectations of the internet and the ways we could be using it, kept up with the developments that have occurred? These questions underpinned the conversation with Shernon.

As someone who has worked almost exclusively in the Caribbean region and for regional interests, Shernon has been able to develop a unique and comprehensive view of the needs, circumstances and priorities of individual countries and the region as a whole. One of Shernon’s concerns, which emerged during our conversation, is that countries are not capitalising enough on the opportunities the internet affords and shared the example of country code top-level domain names, which echoes back to the podcast episode released in late 2023 on that very topic. As was stated above in his bio, Shernon believes that the internet can be a key driver of countries’ economic and social development, especially developing countries and SIDS, but we need to be proactive and do what is required to realise that outcome.

Below are some of the questions posed during our conversation.

  1. How has the landscape of the internet evolved over the past 5—10 years?
  2. What are the major trends or technological advancements that are shaping the internet today?
  3. What are some of the current and emerging challenges regarding the internet of which we should be more aware?
  4. Across the region, we have witnessed a spate of high-profile network security breaches, which suggests, that we – as individuals, organisations and even countries – may not be as technology savvy as we should be. What are your thoughts and how might we begin to remedy this?
  5. The internet has become integral to everyday life. What are your thoughts on how we in the Caribbean currently use the internet, versus how we should be using the internet?
  6. Given the diversity of languages and cultures in the Caribbean, do you think we have given enough thought and action to content localization on the internet? Is it still important?
  7. The issue of trust – or a lack thereof – has been hindering the development of e-commerce and even some basic fintech segments across the region. What should we want as a region?
  8. From the country perspective, how have we in the Caribbean been using the internet, versus how we should be using the internet?

 

We would love to hear your thoughts!

Do leave us a comment either here beneath this article, or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages, or via Twitter, @ICTPulse.

Also, if you or a member of your network is interested in joining us for an episode, do get in touch.

Let’s make it happen!

 

Select links

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

 

 

Images credit:  Jordi Ruiz Cirera/Panos;  Gerd Altmann (Pixabay);  Mohamed Hassan (Pixabay);  Frederik Lipfert (Unsplash)

Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell

Podcast editing support: Mayra Bonilla Lopez