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As we reflect on, and, in many cases, have good reason to celebrate various aspects of the development of the social, cultural and economic life of independent Jamaica, it is indeed appropriate that we take time out to consider the role that Information & Communications Technology has played in our social and economic development; and more importantly, as we look towards our Vision 2030 Goals, the increased significance of the role that ICT must play as a driver of national growth and development.

Starting in the late the 1990s the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) put in place a series of far-reaching initiatives to accelerate the preparation of the Jamaican economy and society to participate in what is often referred to as the Knowledge-based Economy or the Digital Economy, the new basis of production, distribution, and competition in the global environment. These initiatives included the landmark liberalisation of the telecommunications sector that provided a catalyst for significant foreign direct investment in elecommunications; unleashed competition among telecommunications providers for faster,  more reliable and less expensive services; and achieved phenomenal growth in cellular subscribers. In fact, mobile penetration in Jamaica exceeds that of the rest of the Caribbean and North America, resulting in us having the largest teledensities in the world. 

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