The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have signed an agreement to collaborate on Giga, a UNICEF-ITU global initiative to connect every school to the Internet and every young person to information, opportunity, and choice. 

“The OECS Commission is pleased to partner with UNICEF and ITU to deliver this timely digital transformation programme. The COVID-19 pandemic has made Giga even more relevant as we seek to bridge the digital divide and empower teachers, students and families to use technology to enhance the delivery of education and continuity of teaching and learning,” said Director-General of the OECS Commission Dr Didacus Jules

Jules added that the successful delivery of Giga will be a major milestone for the youth of the OECS.

Launched in 2019, Giga sets the goal of providing connectivity to every school in the world.

As a first step, Giga is working with the OECS to map every school in the region, and to provide real-time monitoring data on the quality of internet connectivity. 

UNICEF Eastern Caribbean Dr. Aloys Kamuragiye said that eight countries in the OECS have completed mapping of their school connectivity and a Giga Regional Centre and team will soon be established.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), UN’s specialised agency for information and communication technologies, noted that improved connectivity will ensure that young people will be well equipped with the digital skills that they need to shape their future in this Internet age.

The Giga initiative

By using schools to identify demand for connectivity, Giga serves as a platform to create the necessary infrastructure to provide digital connectivity to an entire country, for every community and citizen.

The Giga initiative consists of four pillars: 

• map connectivity of every school in partnership with governments, advise on building affordable and sustainable country-specific
• models for finance and delivery
• determine the best possible technical solutions to connect every school to the Internet, and 
• empower young people with digital skills for the future.

Giga is aligned with the UN Secretary-General’s Roadmap for Digital Cooperation’s Recommendations 1A and 1B, which state, respectively, that “by 2030, every adult should have affordable access to digital networks and have a broad, multi-stakeholder alliance, involving the UN, to create a platform to share digital public goods.”

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The Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) is all set to receive nominations of candidates for the September 3 General Parliamentary Elections.

“The necessary arrangements for Nomination Day have been completed. All nomination documents and supplies have been delivered to the constituencies and Returning Officers are ready to accept nominations,” said Glasspole Brown, Director of Elections

Nomination centres across the 63 constituencies will receive nominations today from 10:00 AM to 2:00PM.

Brown is expecting the day’s activities to flow smoothly.

However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, physical distancing protocols and other safety measures will be observed across all nomination centres.

“I urge all persons involved in the nomination process to remember to wear a mask to the nomination location. The temperatures of all persons entering the location will be checked and their hands will be sanitized. The security forces will be assisting us with managing the number of persons entering the compound as we seek to adhere to the COVID-19 health and safety protocols,” added Brown.

Political parties to follow protocols on Nomination Day

Prime Minister Andrew Holness said that all political parties have committed to ensuring that supporters follow the safety health protocols to prevent and minimise the spread of COVID-19.

“We have agreed that as leaders of the country, we will be scrupulous in following the rules, that we will be consistent and firm in ensuring that… how we organise the activities for the day is consistent with the agreement and measures recommended by the Ministry of Health, which both parties would have agreed to and was published by the political ombudsmen.”

Campaign activities are being restrained due to a rise in the number of COVID-19 cases.

The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has instructed their prospective candidates to not conduct street marches during today’s nomination.

“Prospective candidates have been told that they should not have more than 20 supporters accompany them when they show up to be nominated and that their motorcades should not descend on the nomination centres,” said Kamina Johnson Smith, JLP’s campaign spokesperson.

Street marches and motorcades overflowing with party supporters, decked out in their colours, have long been a feature of the nomination day process.

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