2.6.3 Cyber Security The challenge of security is the ultimate side effect of a well connected society. The more connected SVG becomes, the more opportunities are created for individuals who wish to commit cyber crime. Developing countries have to be careful to not underestimate the security threat posed by being connected. In parallel with the many initiatives being taken in SVG to get connected to everyone and to the world, must be the completion of projects to protect such connectivity. This requires national projects which involve educating and training all users. It will involve new legislative measures and new investigative units within the security organisations of the country. As cyber crimes can be committed in any country from any country, it is important that SVG works closely with external The issue of cyber security is not just an issue for businesses and consumers. It is an issue of National Security whereby its effects can shut down the entire country as have been seen in the recent past in Eastern Europe. SVG cannot wait until such events occur in the region, and therefore it is necessary to start planning and putting in place the necessary local and regional institutions to address this issue. The Internet as a tool, rather than a goal in itself, has changed many of the traditional governance models that we have become used to in civil society. agencies and establish the necessary bilateral and multilateral instruments to make investigations and trials as easy as possible. Work has commenced in SVG to address the cyber security challenge, but much remains to be done. Government has recognised that the initiatives being undertaken to provide universal connectivity to the Internet creates other challenges that must be addressed in moving forward. To some extent, some initiatives are already in train in this regard. The Internet, by default, allows anyone to post anything on any subject for anyone to access anywhere in the world, unless specific effort is made to try to restrict this. This fact creates two areas of concern for SVG on the issue of content. The first issue is that of content that is created specifically for a criminal purpose; and the second issue is content that can lead to the programming of young minds that can lead to criminal and other non-productive behaviour in the future. The control of content is a sensitive issue, especially in democratic countries such as SVG. There is a delicate balance that must be made between controlling content and the right of the individual to access content of their choice. SVG is currently in the process of creating public policy to address this concern. Equally important is the content on radio and television and its impact on local culture and the young people of SVG. Again, government policy with respect to local content and the nature of content on the airwaves are being developed. 2.6.4 Civil Society The general centralized view of governance and services to civil society has been impacted by the Internet. It is clear that the centre of a country’s social systems and networks is no longer at the figurative traditional central meeting place whether city or village square, but is now at the edges. Individual users have the ability to instantly act both locally and globally, and to interact with consummate ease with huge diverse human networks from the comfort of their homes. Almost anyone in society now has the power to create and distribute diverse content at will. Once it is recognised that power is now in the hands of ordinary citizens, it is recognised that a great opportunity exists to orientate policy initiatives towards a true multi-stakeholder consensus style of non-centralized governance which can revolutionize the public sector by streamlining government services, and which can herald a new dialogue between the state and civil society. The opportunity to mobilize otherwise unrecognised or previously unknown expertise and capability is innovative in itself and government is best placed to spearhead the enabling environment which will generate and disseminate home-grown knowledge at will. SVG will therefore pursue the formulation of national policy which will nurture the human capital of the country. This policy will recognise the enormous potential for ordinary citizens across the social spectrum to contribute to their nation state with an increased sense of security, well being and belonging. The policy will enable the building of a highly creative and innovative society. It will attempt to exercise the minds of the youth so that they are able to partake on level footing with regional and international partners. But the policy will be so crafted to maintain the country’s cultural differences and to enable the dissemination of the uniqueness of its people to others. In order to unleash this national ‘power source of the people’, SVG must mainstream ICT into the Current Usage in Non-ICT Sectors P a g e | 45