[Chapter-delegates] Advance Notice / Preview: Caribbean Internet Report to launch on Monday

[Dan York]

Chapter leaders,

I want to give you all a heads-up that on Monday we are announcing a new Internet Society report titled ‘Unleashing the Internet in the Caribbean: Removing Barriers to Connectivity and Stimulating Better Access in the Region’.  The report is available now for you to view at:

https://www.internetsociety.org/doc/internet-caribbean-2017

But we would ask you to please hold off on promoting the report (for example, on social media or other email lists) until the formal announcement happens on Monday.

Today (Friday, 17 Feb) our President and CEO Kathy Brown is in Barbados with staff members Shernon Osepa and Niel Harper talking about the report in person to local regulators, press, university students and the Barbados Chapter. This will be followed by a formal press release and public launch on Monday.

Yesterday evening we learned that Shernon was able to arrange for a live stream of the session with Kathy that will start in about 30 minutes at 11:15am local time (UTC-6, equivalent to 10:15am EST if that helps). You can watch at:

https://livestream.com/internetsociety/carib

It will be recorded for later viewing.

Raúl Echeberría, our VP for Global Engagement, sent the following text to our Board of Trustees about the report:

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The report is the result of some hard work by Internet Society staff. It highlights the many challenges that exist with Internet access in a geographically difficult region and outlines the need for a stronger policy framework to enable greater Internet development as a way to meet the region’s needs.

There key recommendations made by the report are:

1. Develop clear and forward-looking policy and regulatory frameworks that focus on developing the Internet and information and communications technology (ICT) both in individual countries and across the region.

2. Encourage greater private-sector participation and innovation by improving the enabling environment and the support ecosystem in general paying particular attention to fostering increased competition in the Internet access market and promoting open access to shared facilities, such as telecentres and innovation hubs (iHubs).

3. Put in place initiatives that builds greater participation by the public, including those that improve digital literacy and increase the availability of free access to public institutions.

4. Ensure that the ICT projects are aligned with the country’s needs and development priorities.

5. Adopt a regional approach and system of collaboration on common problems and goals, taking advantage of the benefits that emerge—especially with regard to implementation costs—due to the economies scale and scope that can be realised.

I believe that this report helps to position us as a leader on Internet access. I very much hope you find it interesting and informative.

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Please do take a look at the report as it gives quite a comprehensive view of Internet access in the Caribbean region.  And we would appreciate any assistance with sharing the information once the launch happens on Monday.

Thank you,
Dan

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Dan York
Senior Manager, Content & Web Strategy, Internet Society
york at isoc.org<mailto:york at isoc.org>   +1-802-735-1624
Jabber: york at jabber.isoc.org<mailto:york at jabber.isoc.org>
Skype: danyork   http://twitter.com/danyork

http://www.internetsociety.org/





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