Internet jump

Low-income Bajan households to get online connectivity, devices, digital literacy training By Marlon Madden By the end of this year, 1 000 low-income families in Barbados should have access to high-speed Internet, as telecommunications giant Cable & Wireless Communications partners with the Government to help close the digital divide. The partnership, which will see qualifying families first drawn from the soon-to-be-launched Government-led One Family programme, is expected to cost the Government about $6.3 million over the next three years while benefiting an additional 3 500 families over that period. In addition to the 125 MBPS bandwidth, the qualifying households will also receive a laptop and digital literacy training opportunities. The JUMP programme with Cable & Wireless Communications, which trades here as Flow, is a partnership with the Government through the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs. Chief Executive of C&W Communications Inge Smidts said the company was committed to continuing its investment in connectivity throughout the region while showing care for the community. Noting that JUMP was launched following months of discussions with regional governments and was already in some Caribbean countries and would be slightly different in each territory, she said the aim was to connect 5 000 low-income families across the region by the end of this year. Pointing out that the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the shortfall in broadband connectivity in the region, Smidts said: “It became apparent that in our region we are not doing a fantastic job.” It is estimated that broadband penetration in the region is less than 65 per cent, with issues such as affordability, lack of awareness of how to use the systems, and a lack of infrastructure being some of the main hurdles. It is estimated that Barbados has about 73 per cent broadband penetration. “So the digital divide is a large multifaceted issue that requires holistic solutions and successful strategies and building partnerships. We cannot do this alone as Cable & Wireless,” Smidts told the launching ceremony at the Sandals Barbados Resort. “This will only work if we really do it in partnership, not a partnership that is a one-off; it has to be something that will be there for many years. “We need to equip our people with skills and knowledge in order to utilise the digital tools effectively . . . . So for each qualified person we will be providing free laptops and we are offering more than just the device. We are providing a gateway to more opportunities, personal growth and enhanced quality of life,” she added. So far, Barbados, The Bahamas, St Lucia and Grenada have signed on to the programme, and close to 3 000 households are already benefiting from the initiative. Country Manager of Flow Barbados Desron Bynoe did not disclose how much revenue the company was foregoing as a result of the initiative, but said it is “a long-term investment”. “Through JUMP, we aim to empower government-qualified households, especially those who live in rural communities and those differently-abled, to overcome barriers and realise an improved quality of life through the provision of digital connections,” he said. “We will continue to expand JUMP across the Caribbean as we have every confidence that other territories will soon join the programme as the benefits to the local communities become more tangible,” added Bynoe, who noted that 3 in 10 Caribbean households were still without Internet access or data connection. Prime Minister Mia Mottley welcomed the initiative, saying it should help to empower people and ultimately result in economic growth. “I must thank Flow for agreeing to undertake the cost for the 1 000 most vulnerable families in the One Family initiative,” said Mottley who indicated that “the Government’s contribution over the three years is intended to be $6.3 million”. She said involvement in the JUMP programme was open to other companies and challenged mainstream media houses to do what they could to help with any campaign to get more companies on board so that the number of targeted households could be achieved within one year instead of three. marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb]]>