CANTO Chairman Dirk Currie
In promoting its strategy for broadband expansion in fostering economic development within the Caribbean, telecommunications firm LIME hosted the 30th Annual General Meeting of the Caribbean Association of National Telecommunications Operators (CANTO) at the Half Moon Hotel, Montego Bay in Jamaica from January 25-28, 2014.
The event, which was held under the theme, “Strategic Alliances for Sustainable Broadband Development” looked at how telecoms operators within the region can develop strategies to accomplish, most specifically, broadband infrastructural development throughout the Caribbean.
At the opening ceremony on January 26, State Minister in the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Julian Robinson, presented the feature address to an audience comprising CANTO board members, technocrats, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) experts, specially invited guests and LIME executives.
As host of the distinguished event, CEO of LIME Garfield Sinclair, commented, “The staging of the CANTO AGM in Jamaica comes at the most ideal time when we are concentrated on making broadband access available to many more Jamaicans because we understand how absolutely crucial it is to our country’s development and competitive edge in the global space. LIME is using broadband development to serve as one of the pillars that will bolster Jamaica’s GDP growth and create all the usual spin-offs as a result. The CANTO team already understands our mission and we welcome them to Jamaica as we collaborate on how to make the technology more affordable and accessible for all.”
Broadband is viewed as networks of deployed telecommunications equipment and technologies necessary to provide high-speed internet access and other advanced telecommunications services for private homes, businesses, commercial establishments, schools, and public institutions.
During the four-day event, the CANTO Board hosted a series of seminars ranging from financing broadband development in the Caribbean to tackling the urgent issue of electronic waste disposal. The benefits of ‘mobile money’ as an increasingly popular alternative method of payment was also be discussed during an overall look at the impact of emerging technology upon telecoms operators in the Caribbean.
According to CANTO Chairman, Dirk Currie, “Our sector has always been in a mode where change was the only constant factor. Even within change we experience that the speed of change is drastically increasing. So as organisations we have less time available to adapt to the changing environment which are driven by technology and innovation.”
This year heralds CANTO’s ‘Pearl’ anniversary – 30 years of proudly serving its members in the ICT sector, in a multiplicity of ways.
CANTO, founded in 1984, started with eight operators from eight Caribbean countries; 30 years later the association has proudly grown to over 130 members in 34 countries.
To mark this milestone, CANTO will continue to observe its present broadband thrust through its theme “Strategic Alliances for Sustainable Broadband Development” which exudes the association’s desire to enter into strategic alliances to accomplish most specifically, broadband infrastructural development throughout the Caribbean. There is an acute need at this juncture, as the demand for high-quality broadband in the Caribbean especially that of a wireless nature, far exceeds supply.