CARICOM seeking to eliminate roaming charges in region

CARICOM Ministers with responsibility for Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have agreed to collectively approach the region’s telecommunications providers to axe mobile roaming charges throughout the community.

CARICOM said in a release yesterday that the move is one of the priorities which they identified as an early benefit in achieving a CARICOM Single ICT Space.

At a Special Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (ICT) by video-conference yesterday, the ministers agreed that this would provide social and economic benefits to the people and to the region.

Chairman of the meeting, Keith Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada and Lead Head of Government for Science and Technology including ICT, said this was an issue that would give a real fillip to regional integration and has the potential to drive growth and development in the Community.

CARICOM Secretary-General Irwin LaRocque, the release said, concurred with the sentiments of the Prime Minister and stated that this should be viewed as a low-hanging fruit in achieving the Single ICT Space. The release said that the Single ICT Space will allow for harmonisation of the ICT and other legislative frameworks in CARICOM, the removal of roaming charges, the encouragement of digital entrepreneurship, empowering all CARICOM nationals as digital citizens and looking at ICT financial solutions among other regional benefits. The Ministers underlined the importance of cyber security in underpinning the Single ICT Space.