Infirmaries and Golden Age Homes across the island will benefit from a donation of more than 40 smartphones from telecommunications provider, Digicel, to enable residents to make contact with loved ones during the Christmas season. Some of the phones were handed over today (December 16), and will be used to enhance the ‘Virtually Connected While Staying Socially Distant Initiative’, being...

The Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology has secured the assistance of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to develop a national broadband strategy, which will support the implementation of the islandwide broadband network. In addition, a national broadband task force, under the chairmanship of Michael Lee Chin, has been formed to provide high-level guidance to the Ministry’s team and to...

Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Hon. Daryl Vaz, says that bridging the broadband penetration gap, through the setting up of a National Broadband Network, is expected to generate more than 95,000 direct jobs. He made the disclosure during the sitting of the House of Representatives on Tuesday (December 15). He noted that the estimated cost to implement the broadband...

The Government, through its agencies, will be implementing three major technology initiatives aimed at increasing access to the Internet and electronic educational content for students living in rural and inner-city communities. Speaking in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (December 15), Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Hon. Daryl Vaz, said the Government will be making investments to provide the...

Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Hon. Daryl Vaz will use the occasion of the last sitting of Parliament for the calendar year to address the Government’s strategy to achieve universal access to broadband. The Minister is expected to outline the current gap in broadband access and the short and long term strategies to close the gap. An update will...

Portland’s capital, Port Antonio, now boasts a free and secured internet access zone, following the launch of a public Wi-Fi hotspot in the town’s square on December 11. The Wi-Fi zone was launched by Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Hon. Daryl Vaz; Eastern Portland Member of Parliament, Ann-Marie Vaz; Chief Executive Officer, Universal Service Fund (USF), Daniel Dawes; and...

Science, Energy and Technology Minister, Hon. Daryl Vaz, has commended the Universal Service Fund (USF) for expanding its Public Wi-Fi Hotspot Programme into rural communities islandwide. Speaking at the initiative’s latest launch, in Chapelton, Clarendon on December 10, Mr. Vaz said the undertaking is consistent with the Government’s priority of affording internet access to all. “I am pleased that we...