Digicel has been selected as the connectivity partner of the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. In the first instance, the partnership will run for five years.
The five-year contract was confirmed by Apollo Knights, Director of the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC), who spearheaded the initiative to connect thousands of Vincentians.
At a contract signing ceremony at the Caribbean Association of National Telecommunications Organizations (CANTO) 2022 Conference in Miami, July 18, he said: “This programme will have transformational benefits for thousands of Vincentians of all ages and from all walks of life. The ability to work, learn, interact and share at multiple locations across the islands will put St. Vincent & the Grenadines on the map as a connected society.”
This partnership is in keeping with the Government’s effort to bridge the digital divide and provide economic opportunities for the citizens of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, many of them being subscribers to the services that Digicel offers.
It is expected that when the partnership unfolds in its entirety that broadband access will be provided to 116 different locations on the mainland and in the Grenadine, as far as Mayreau.
A 300Mbps download speed will be available for community centres, learning resource centres, sports fields, hard courts, tourism sites, and non-profit organizations.
Government’s emphasis on this particular area of citizens empowerment is predicated on research from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) – the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies – showing that an increase of 10 per cent in mobile broadband penetration yields an increase of two per cent in GDP.
Meanwhile, Digicel St Vincent and the Grenadines Chief Executive Officer, Brenda Barbour-Charles, weighed in on the landmark development saying, that the case for connectivity could not be more apparent and assuring that Digicel was “..all about connecting the unconnected and ensuring that everyone, everywhere has access to the people and things they love most.”
She added: “In bringing superfast connectivity to thousands of Vincentians, we’re excited to be helping to position St. Vincent and the Grenadines at the forefront of the knowledge economy and to drive opportunities for all.”
(Source: The Royal Gazette)