{"id":156294,"date":"2021-02-10T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-02-10T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ict-pulse.com\/?p=156294"},"modified":"2021-02-12T08:32:52","modified_gmt":"2021-02-12T13:32:52","slug":"ictp-141-how-much-closer-are-we-to-realising-the-single-ict-space-with-jennifer-britton-of-the-caricom-secretariat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/2021\/02\/ictp-141-how-much-closer-are-we-to-realising-the-single-ict-space-with-jennifer-britton-of-the-caricom-secretariat\/","title":{"rendered":"ICTP 141: How much closer are we to realising the Single ICT Space, with Jennifer Britton, of the CARICOM Secretariat"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If there is ever a time we, in the Caribbean region, need the CARICOM Single ICT Space, it is now, as the world continues to navigate its way through COVID-19. In this episode, we are re-joined by Jennifer Britton, of the CARICOM Secretariat, to give us the scoop on the latest achievements and developments, as well as to (hopefully) give us some indication of how close we might be to (finally!!) realising the Single ICT Space.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/user-673719274\" title=\"ICT Pulse Podcast\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;\" rel=\"noopener\">ICT Pulse Podcast<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/user-673719274\/ictp-141-how-much-closer-are\" title=\"ICTP 141: How much closer are we to realising the Single ICT Space, with Jennifer Britton, of the CARICOM Secretariat\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;\" rel=\"noopener\">ICTP 141: How much closer are we to realising the Single ICT Space, with Jennifer Britton, of the CARICOM Secretariat<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\nThis episode is also available in <a href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/ict-pulse-podcast\/id1373550291\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Apple iTunes<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/playmusic.app.goo.gl\/?ibi=com.google.PlayMusic&isi=691797987&ius=googleplaymusic&apn=com.google.android.music&link=https:\/\/play.google.com\/music\/m\/Icau5acn2xiyl5yjuh7orl2mt54?t%3DICT_Pulse_Podcast%26pcampaignid%3DMKT-na-all-co-pr-mu-pod-16\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Google Play Music<\/a> and on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stitcher.com\/podcast\/ict-pulse-podcast?refid=stpr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Stitcher<\/a>!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nFor long-time readers of ICT Pulse, the odds are you have heard of the term, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Single ICT Space. We first began talking about it in earnest in 2013, as it was a key recommendation of the <a href=\"https:\/\/fgd.dfv.mybluehost.me\/.website_c81a1e61\/2011\/04\/will-the-regional-digital-development-strategy-take-us-where-we-need-to-be\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Regional Digital Development Strategy<\/a>, which was published in 2011. A Single ICT Space \u2013 if established \u2013 would be the digital layer that could support and facilitate the realisation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt is about seven and a half years since we, at ICT Pulse, started the conversation on the Single ICT Space. Over the last few years, <a href=\"https:\/\/fgd.dfv.mybluehost.me\/.website_c81a1e61\/2017\/08\/review-caricom-single-ict-space-roadmap\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a roadmap was established<\/a>, which pointed to the Single ICT Space being realised by 2020. However, the initiative is way behind schedule, and at the time of writing, revised timelines have not been made publicly available.<\/p>\n\n\n\nCritical to the approach proposed for creating the Single ICT Space was for the participating governments to drive the needed changes in their home countries. However, considering the challenges and imperatives many of our countries have been experiencing on an ongoing basis over the past several years, along with the regional coordination that would be needed, it is not unexpected that the stated timelines were not achieved.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHaving said this, and within the context of the Single ICT Space, 2020 was a good year \u2013 and perhaps was even a watershed year. In a nutshell, the pandemic highlighted to Caribbean governments, in a very real way, the importance of ICT to their economies, and the need for them to be leveraging ICT and technology in more meaningfully than they had been.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt is through this lens we sought to re-engage the CARICOM Secretariat on the Single ICT Space. We had discussed the topic twice before on the Podcast, the last time being in 2019; so we were overdue for a catchup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Introducing our guest<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"138080\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/2018\/08\/ictp-020-establishing-caribbean-single-ict-space-jennifer-britton-caricom-secretariat\/jennifer-britton-source-j-britton\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jennifer-Britton-Source-J-Britton.jpg?fit=715%2C521&ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"715,521\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}\" data-image-title=\"Jennifer Britton (Source – J Britton)\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"Jennifer Britton (CARICOM Secretariat)<\/p>\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jennifer-Britton-Source-J-Britton.jpg?fit=300%2C219&ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jennifer-Britton-Source-J-Britton.jpg?fit=715%2C521&ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fgd.dfv.mybluehost.me\/.website_c81a1e61\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jennifer-Britton-Source-J-Britton.jpg?resize=343%2C250&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-138080\" width=\"343\" height=\"250\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jennifer-Britton-Source-J-Britton.jpg?w=715&ssl=1 715w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jennifer-Britton-Source-J-Britton.jpg?resize=300%2C219&ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 343px) 100vw, 343px\" \/><figcaption>Jennifer Britton (CARICOM Secretariat)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jennifer-britton-58117a6\/?originalSubdomain=gy\">Jennifer Britton<\/a><\/strong> is the Deputy Programme Manager \u2013 ICT for Development (ICT4D), at the CARICOM Secretariat, in Guyana, and has been with the organisation for over 20 years. At the Secretariat, her key focus areas include, ICT4D, the digital economy and the CARICOM Single ICT space; and the role of Deputy Programme Manager involves policy formulation, providing technical assistance and project implementation oversight.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAdditionally, Jennifer is committed to amplifying ICT as a powerful catalyst for political, economic and social empowerment, generally, and particularly of women. She is one of the Co-Founders of the group, Caribbean Women in ICT (CWIC), at the Caribbean Association of National Telecommunication Organisations (CANTO).<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Insights into our conversation<\/h1>\n\n\n\nIn typical form, Jennifer Britton is warm and engaging. Since it was her third time on the Podcast, for all intents and purposes, we continue from where we left off: with the Secretariat preparing for a Heads of Government Meeting, which occurred in the last quarter of 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHowever, many of the plans that were agreed at that 2019 meeting were overtaken by COVID-19, and new priorities emerged. A much welcomed development is the potential for greater engagement with a broad range of stakeholders and regional thought leaders on the issues that must be addressed. Some of the questions posed during the course of our conversation included the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" type=\"1\"><li>What has happened respect to the Single ICT Space initiative, since you were last on the show in September 2019?<\/li><li>Have the working groups been established, and if so, what are their areas of focus?<\/li><li>How can we work more efficiently and effectively to advance the Single ICT Space in a more substantial way?<\/li><li>How do you think the Caribbean region fared with regard to digital transformation and leveraging ICT and technology in 2020?<\/li><li>What is going to be different as we move to a \u2018whole of government\u2019 or \u2018joined up government\u2019 approach from what was envisaged under \u2018electronic (e-)government\u2019 or \u2018seamless government\u2019, for example?<\/li><li>One of the priority initiatives you indicated in our previous conversations, was the removal of roaming rates across the region. Has there been any progress on this front?<\/li><li>What keeps you up at night these days?<\/li><li>Are there any imminent milestones of which we should be aware?<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\nWe would love to hear from you!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nDo leave us a comment either here beneath this article, or on our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ICTPulse\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Facebook<\/strong><\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/ict-pulse-consulting-limited\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">LinkedIn<\/strong><\/a> pages, or via Twitter, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ICTPulse\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">@ICTPulse<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Select links<\/h2>\n\n\n\nBelow are links to some of the organisations and resources that either were mentioned during the episode, or otherwise, might be useful:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jennifer-britton-58117a6\/?originalSubdomain=gy\">Jennifer Britton<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"http:\/\/caricom.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Caribbean Community<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/caricomimpacs.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS)<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.caricomict4d.org\/images\/stories\/docs\/draft_regional_ict_strategy.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Regional Digital Development Strategy<\/a><\/li><li>ICT Pulse Podcast episode, <a href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/2NsVUxV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ICTP 020: Establishing the Caribbean Single ICT Space, with Jennifer Britton of the CARICOM Secretariat<\/a><\/em> <\/li><li>ICT Pulse Podcast episode, <a href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/2lUoG1A\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ICTP 073: Following up on the Caribbean Single ICT Space, with Jennifer Britton of the CARICOM Secretariat<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>ICT Pulse article, <a href=\"https:\/\/fgd.dfv.mybluehost.me\/.website_c81a1e61\/2011\/04\/will-the-regional-digital-development-strategy-take-us-where-we-need-to-be\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Will the Regional Digital Development Strategy take us where we need to be?<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>ICT Pulse article, <a href=\"https:\/\/fgd.dfv.mybluehost.me\/.website_c81a1e61\/2013\/07\/single-regional-ict-space-caribbean\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Is a single regional ICT space possible in the Caribbean?<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>ICT Pulse article, <a href=\"https:\/\/fgd.dfv.mybluehost.me\/.website_c81a1e61\/2017\/08\/review-caricom-single-ict-space-roadmap\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Review of the CARICOM single ICT space roadmap<\/a><\/em> <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n  <\/p>\n\n\n\n  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\nImage credits: J Britton; CARICOM Secretariat; Gerd Altmann (<a href=\"http:\/\/pixabay.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pixabay<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nMusic credit: Ray Holman<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If there is ever a time we, in the Caribbean region, need the CARICOM Single ICT Space, it is now, as the world continues to navigate its way through COVID-19. In this episode, we are re-joined by Jennifer Britton, of the CARICOM Secretariat, to give us the scoop on the latest achievements and developments, as well as to (hopefully) give us some indication of how close we might be to (finally!!) realising the Single ICT Space.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":156297,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[355],"tags":[305,330,32,48],"class_list":["post-156294","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-podcast","tag-digital-economy","tag-digital-transformation","tag-information-society","tag-infrastructure","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/20210209_Featured-Image-Jennifer-Briiton.jpg?fit=1024%2C710&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2iE1G-EES","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/156294","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=156294"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/156294\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":156327,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/156294\/revisions\/156327"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/156297"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=156294"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=156294"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=156294"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}