CONTACT Magazine (Vol.18 No.2 – September 2018)

THE DIGITAL IMPERATIVE
Indifference?
If Trinidad and Tobago is to truly advance in the global
digital economy, our relatively indifferent attitude towards
the ICT and digital services sector cannot continue.
The country needs a high-level official, an effective
champion – preferably a minister with the ability to build
consensus between the public and private sectors – who
can be held accountable for the performance of the ICT
and digital services sector. This accountability needs to
be built into the government’s performance management
framework, with ICT & digital services at the forefront
of an overdue re-orienting and re-balancing of the local
economy.
We need to collectively adopt participation in the
global digital economy as a priority, competing on an
equal footing with our international counterparts.
To do that, we must re-examine our approach to
domestic and foreign investment in this sector. In the
same way as the downstream energy sector was catalysed
by the establishment of Point Lisas in the 1960s (with the
subsequent involvement of the government), we need to
place renewed emphasis on meaningful public-private
partnerships where both sectors can derive tangible,
sustainable value.
Trinidad and Tobago should be a hub or centre of
excellence for ICT and digital services. While we certainly
can’t “boil the ocean”, given the vast scope of this sector,
we can take a sensible approach by selecting a few key
areas of high global demand and focusing our energies
towards developing and enhancing the necessary
capacity.
The private sector
In the private sector, business leaders must consciously and
explicitly identify digital transformation as part of their
strategic plans.
Jean-Paul Dookie, Executive Vice President in the
regional operations of the Japanese multinational
technology company Fujitsu, notes that “businesses
and governments the world over are being impacted by
digital disruption, where traditional business models and
value propositions are under threat. Trinidad and Tobago
is no different.”
The private sector “cannot take lightly the impact
of the digital world we live in; and therefore this should
be the top priority for leadership and strategic business
planning. Driving business innovation, efficiency and new
value propositions through digital co-creation, should be
at the forefront of leader agendas.”
“The latest ICT
technologies are
typically available
locally, but these are
not being used to their
maximum potential”
Other public sector initiatives
Integrated Financial Management
Information System
A Ministry of Finance project funded by a US$40 million IDB
loan, this seeks to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of
financial management. Once implemented, it will ensure that
budget decision-making and delivery is driven by smart data,
with the desired positive impact, and meets the needs of all
stakeholders.
Electronic procurement
Likely to be introduced soon within central government.
TSTT has been using in-house electronic tenders software for
several years now. TSTT and the National Information and
Communication Technology Company (iGovTT) have signed an
MOU to jointly market and promote the adoption of TSTT’s
e-tender software as a service procurement portal by 22
ministries, 119 companies and 135 statutory bodies.
Global Services Promotion Programme
The government wants to catalyse the local ICT & digitalenabled
services sector through a programme of strategic
and tactical interventions. Funded by another IDB loan
(US$18 million) and executed by the Ministry of Planning and
Development, the programme seeks to position Trinidad and
Tobago as a prime location for global provision of IT-enabled
services. The expected outcomes are increased exports and
employment in the sector.
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Trinidad
and Tobago Chamber
of Industry and Commerce
www.chamber.org.tt/contact-magazine