Readiness for the Networked World: Jamaica Assessment
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Research Publication No. 2002-02 5/2002 Readiness For The Networked World: Jamaica Assessment Rohan Kariyawasam This paper can be downloaded without charge from the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School Research Publication Series at: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/publications Readiness For The Networked World: Jamaica Assessment by Rohan Kariyawasam May 2002 Berkman Center for Internet & Society, Harvard Law School1 1 This assessment is based on the E-Readiness template developed by the Information Technologies Group, The Center for International Development, Harvard University. 1 Acknowledgements The Berkman Center would like to acknowledge the help of the Ministry of Commerce Industry and Technology in Jamaica, Cable & Wireless Jamaica, Infochannel, the University of West Indies, University of Technology, and the many ISPs, schools, and businesses with whom we interviewed. Without their generous help this report would not have been possible. A full list of the interviewees is included at Appendix D. The Author would also like to thank Janeille Matthews, a student at HLS for helping with some of the earlier interviews, and Professor Charles Nesson, Weld Professor of Law, Harvard Law School, whose inspiration and vision for Jamaica was the foundation for this report. About the Author Rohan Kariyawasam is a Fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School. He is a telecommunications engineer and a lawyer. He has worked as the Asia-Pacific Product Manager for McGraw- Hill’s strategic ICT business research consultancy, Northern Business Information, in Hong Kong and Malaysia, and in brand management for Unilever. Prior to coming to Harvard, Rohan worked as a consultant with attorneys Clifford Chance LLP in London, and is also a founding trustee of the Rahula Trust (www.rahula- trust.org), a registered charity in the UK that provides support to poor and academically gifted children in the developing world. Rohan is a recipient of the 2001/2002 US/UK Fulbright Scholarship. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.......................................................................................................................................... 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND AUDIO EXTRACTS........................................................ 7 AREAS OF FURTHER RESEARCH ................................................................................................................................ 18 NATIONAL BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................................ 21 POLITICS............................................................................................................................................................................. 21 ECONOMY .......................................................................................................................................................................... 22 TELECOM AND INTERNET BACKGROUND: HISTORY AND KEY PLAYERS................................................................................ 23 NETWORK POLICY .......................................................................................................................................................... 25 ICT POLICY........................................................................................................................................................................ 25 FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC IT PLAN: ....................................................................................................................................... 25 TELECOM POLICY............................................................................................................................................................... 28 TRADE POLICY ................................................................................................................................................................... 31 Table 2 : INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IMPORTS IN JAMAICAN DOLLARS & NUMBER JANUARY – DECEMBER 1999-2000............................................................................................................................................... 31 FREE TRADE ZONES (FTZS)/WAREHOUSES........................................................................................................... 33 NETWORK ACCESS.......................................................................................................................................................... 34 INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE ....................................................................................................................................... 35 LEASED LINES RATES......................................................................................................................................................... 38 INTERNET AVAILABILITY ................................................................................................................................................... 40 INTERNET AFFORDABILITY................................................................................................................................................. 41 NETWORK SPEED AND QUALITY ........................................................................................................................................ 41 HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE .............................................................................................................................................. 41 SERVICE AND SUPPORT ...................................................................................................................................................... 41 NETWORKED LEARNING............................................................................................................................................... 42 SCHOOLS’ ACCESS TO ICTS ............................................................................................................................................... 42 JAMAICA 2000 PROJECT..................................................................................................................................................... 43 GLOBAL TEENAGER PROJECT............................................................................................................................................. 43 NATIONAL HOUSING TRUST SCHOOLS TECHNOLOGY PROJECT.......................................................................................... 45 INTEC FUND ..................................................................................................................................................................... 46 INFORMATION IN EDUCATION PROJECT.............................................................................................................................. 47 TABLE 7: ESTABLISHMENT OF HIGH END SOFTWARE TRAINING FACILITIES.......................................... 47 TABLE 8: TRAINING GRANTS TO JAMAICAN FIRMS............................................................................................ 48 NETWORKED SOCIETY .................................................................................................................................................. 50 PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS ONLINE............................................................................................................................... 51 LOCALLY RELEVANT CONTENT ......................................................................................................................................... 51 ICTS IN EVERYDAY LIFE.................................................................................................................................................... 52 TABLE 9: INTERNET CAFES IN ESTABLISHED_POST OFFICES.............................................................................................. 52 ICT’S IN THE WORKPLACE ................................................................................................................................................. 53 NETWORKED ECONOMY............................................................................................................................................... 54 ICT EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES ................................................................................................................................... 54 ELECTRONIC COMMERCE ................................................................................................................................................... 58 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS................................................................................................................................................ 62 3 APPENDIX A ACRONYMS............................................................................................................................................... 64 APPENDIX B WEBSITES.................................................................................................................................................. 65 APPENDIX C C&W’S TARIFFS....................................................................................................................................... 66 APPENDIX D LIST OF INTERVIEWEES...................................................................................................................... 69 4 Research Methodology This readiness assessment is based on a methodology