BIS Photo/Lisa Davis.
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REPORT TO THE NATION
BY
SENATOR THE HONOURABLE J. KWASI THOMPSON Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister, Grand Bahama
12 November 2020
Ladies and Gentlemen
Members of the Media
Good Afternoon
I wish to first thank God not just for the privilege to serve but to serve in such a time as this. It has been a humbling experience to lead during and in the aftermath of the most destructive storm in our history and worst pandemic of our lifetime. But it has been said that “The only difference between stumbling blocks and steppingstones is the way you use them”.
I thank the Prime Minister for re-appointing me to the Cabinet with responsibilities for Grand Bahama, Electronic Communications and E-Commerce. These also include the oversight of the Office of the Prime Minister in Grand Bahama, Department of Transformation and Digitization, the Digital Transformation Unit and the newly approved E-Commerce Advisory Board.
Ladies and Gentlemen
2020 continues to be a year of total transformation—much of it by force. The Bahamas is no different from many countries around the world managing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Governments, now more than ever, are balancing the health of their citizenry while keeping economies afloat and maintaining their ability to provide the necessary government services. As the country looks to recover through hurricane catastrophes and this pandemic, innovation is imperative to not just be competitive but to survive. Innovation requires that we travel toward “A Digital Bahamas”.
First, the Government’s approach to our Digital Bahamas is guided by the recently approved Electronic Communication Policy Document in accordance with the Communications Act which outlines our policy objectives for the next 3 years. This document was prepared by URCA in conjunction with DTaD. I invite the public to view this document online at
https://www.urcabahamas.bs/publications/electronic-communications-sector-policy-2020-2023/
The policy speaks to creating a modern, digital society that facilitates the growth and expansion of the Bahamian economy.
As we continue to lead our country during these unprecedented times, the Department of Transformation and Digitization (DTaD) recognizes the important role that technology plays in improving the ease of doing business in The Bahamas and our overall competitiveness as a jurisdiction. Our focus is on implementing emerging technology where systems across government agencies speak to each other and provide a seamless user experience for the people that use government services. While we advance and implement new systems, we will also equip Public Servants to meet the new demands as we capitalize on the dynamic and fast-growing technology sector.
Accordingly, The Department of Transformation and Digitization, the Government agency with responsibility for Information and Communications Technology for the whole of Government, is currently structured to deliver six (6) areas of service and support:
• Governance and Planning for the setting of policies and standards, compliance and quality monitoring.
• Business Solutions for business analysis, process reengineering, project management, and application and web development.
• Service Management for customer/end-user support, account administration, incident/service response, and training.
• Technical Support for operation of Data Centres, Disaster Recovery, and Network and Server Management.
• Communications for the provision of cellular phones, fixed lines and video conferencing systems
• And finally, a separate Project Execution Unit within DTaD called the Digital Transformation Unit (DTU) charged with the digital transformation of 200 Government services over a five year period and funded by an IDB Loan.
1. Replacing adequate and appropriate equipment lost during Hurricane Dorian.
2. Ensuring business continuity in Government during the Covid-19 pandemic by providing the environment for secure remote work by Public Officers. The Government implemented CISCO WebEx. We have also assisted the courts with online proceedings for hearing matters. The Ministry of Financial Services, Trade and Industry and Immigration held an online symposium with over 350 attendees, multiple presenters and audience participation.
3. Assistance to the Ministry of Health with the development of
• A virtual COVID Call Centre and a Digital Platform for Contact Tracing. During the first wave, we developed a SharePoint Application. This SharePoint application captured the following;
• demographic information
• travel details
• Covid19 symptoms,
• suggested recommendations for medical assistance
• contacting tracing information
• food assistance option for those persons in mandatory quarantine
Three training cohorts were conducted, and a user manual distributed electronically. The site went live 2nd April 2020 and was decommissioned 3rd June, 2020 after capturing over 500 calls. We Subsequently assisted in the development of other applications for the Contact and Lab investigation Unit to track confirmed cases and their contacts...
to continue see attached
