Thank You Mr. Chairman,
Mr. Secretary-General of the ITU, Honorable Ministers, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Invited guests, Ladies and Gentlemen. As Secretary General of CANTO, it is indeed an honor to address you at this the opening session of CANTO's 23 rd Annual Conference and Trade Exhibition in the island of Barbados .
We wish to thank our host for their hospitality and for welcoming us so warmly. A big thank you also to our main sponsor Cable & Wireless Barbados and all our other sponsors, members and partners, whose support has made this event possible.
As we commence our 23 rd Annual Conference & Trade Show, we are at the epicenter of a world wind of change. Technological innovations and business imperatives are driving the convergence of fixed and mobile telephony, broadband internet access and television. The digital age is revolutionizing the way we live our lives.
Reflect with me for a minute on your life say two decades ago.
- How did we work without computers?
- How did we communicate without emails and SMS?
- How did we stay in touch without mobile phones?
Yet here we are, and the changes continue.
- One stop shop for telephone, internet and television services.
- Make phone calls from your computer
- Play games on your mobile phone
At the macro level, these technology changes have the potential to revolutionize the delivery of social services such as education, health and disaster response. The challenge is to ensure that businesses are encouraged to invest efficiently, so that the average citizen will have access to the technology, at affordable prices.
CANTO knows that greater and more effective use of ICT will empower our people, and spur economic growth, hence our theme for the conference “Leading Connectivity Through ICTs.
ICT is seen as the engine to advance global economic development. To facilitate this development, policy makers including governments and regulators need to ensure that regulatory policies are non-discriminatory, predictable and transparent in order to foster an enabling market environment.
As the industry changes, CANTO is changing itself to remain relevant in order to realize its mission. When CANTO was founded in 1985, its membership comprised of nine regional operating companies. Today, CANTO has a membership of ninety three. There are 34 active members. These members are regional incumbent fixed operators, mobile operators & other licensed service providers.
There are over 59 affiliate members, comprising information technology companies, equipment suppliers, regulators and support services such as legal and auditing firms. Our affiliate members are from eight countries covering four continents – North America, South America, Europe and Asia . We have a truly global and interconnected association.
CANTO's mission is to facilitate the provision of innovative information and communications for the region's economic and cultural development as well as for the benefit of our members - through the sharing of knowledge and expertise and through coordination of strategic standpoints and policymaking.
Our mission has not changed, but clearly we are changing, and need to continue changing, to ensure that we remain relevant in order to fulfill our mission. How do we realize this mission against the tide of change that characterizes our industry?
Coming out of a strategic review process, CANTO has identified five key strategic initiatives that will guide the organization for the next few years.
- Visibility: Increase visibility regionally.
- Expansion: Further broadening our membership base.
- Value added: Renewed focus on value added services for our members.
- Partnerships: Engaging other stakeholders such as Government, regulators and other policy makers on working committees addressing key industry issues.
- Strategic alliances: Realizing strategic alliances with relevant regional and extra regional groups with mutual interests.
The Annual Conference & Trade Exhibition which is a key calendar event in the telecommunications industry regionally is one of the vehicles we use to fulfill these initiatives. It is our hope that, we will all use this opportunity to, Inform ourselves Debate the issues Share knowledge and expertise See the latest technology developments Make the connections The conference brings to Barbados over 500 participants from countries as far away as India .
There will be 86 exhibition booths showcasing a wide range of products and solutions from around the world. We will be exploring a wide range of topics covering areas such as: Enhancing quality of life through ICT, with a focus on areas such as education, health and entertainment. Exploiting ICT for retail and enhancing the quality of life experience. The use of ICT for Disaster Recovery and Management Emerging technologies such as VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol). The impact of next-generation networks on service licensing.
And in the usual CANTO style, as we work, let us have fun doing it. Enjoy the various social activities that have been provided for your entertainment and relaxation. Remember, “There is never a dull moment in Barbados ”. In concluding, these are interesting times for our industry. Opportunities abound but there are challenges too. We call upon our members, Governments, regulators and other partners and stakeholders to join with us in working to ensure that ICT delivers the benefits to our economies – empowered citizenry and economic growth.
Good Evening and God Bless You All |
