NATIONAL ICT STRATEGY BACKGROUND ICT STRATEGY AND NATIONAL SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Information and Communication Technology enhancing education and health care, improve (ICT) has emerged as one of the biggest service delivery, refine policy formulation and revolutions of recent times. The Net revolution implementation, has ushered in enormous possibilities for increase business opportunities for the private leveraging technology not only to enhance sector. productivity and efficiency but also to develop innovative business models and strategies in every sector and to develop community participation and empowerment thereby increasing democratic governance. Countries all over the world are using ICT applications to increase efficiency, accountability, enhance transparency and increase revenue collection as well as to reduce poverty by enhancing their productive and e-commerce centers. A National ICT Strategy is a vision for a country where information and communication technology is not a mere information and communication tool but a primary vehicle for Belize ICT National Strategy empower citizens, and The catalyst for many countries that have been very successful at doing this, such as Singapore and South Korea, is the development of a national ICT strategy with this vision at its core. In South Korea, for example, a comprehensive ICT strategy has been a key driver in the miracle rebound of its economy from the financial crisis of the late 80s; the ICT industry’s contribution to GDP growth rose from a mere 4.5% in 1990 to an astounding 50.5% in 2000. Countries such as Singapore and South Korea, as well as Barbados and Costa Rica to a large extent in our region, have also realized 16