National ICT Strategic Plan Government of St Kitts and Nevis Introduction and Overview: St. Kitts and Nevis St. Kitts and Nevis is an independent Federation with a parliamentary democracy based on the British model with Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom as the head of state. It is the only Federation in the Caribbean. Nevis has its own island assembly which consists of five members, a Premier, and a Deputy Governor General. St Kitts and Nevis became independent from Britain in 1983. The population is estimated to total 45,000, of which 34,000 reside on St. Kitts and 11,000 on Nevis. St. Kitts and Nevis occupy areas of 168 square kilometers and 93 square kilometers respectively. The Sugar Industry, which was once a major employer and contributor to the economy, has come to an end. Additionally, the September 11 terrorist attacks reverberated widely throughout the Caribbean, resulting in a major downturn during its high tourist season with St Kitts and Nevis being particularly hard hit. The country has met these challenges by rebuilding its tourism facilities and diversifying into other industries ranging from financial services, light manufacturing, specialized agriculture to electronics and informatics. This is a direct outcome of the Government of St Kitts and Nevis (GSTK&N) offering generous incentives to investors, such as corporate tax holidays, export allowances, and exemption from import duties on many items. Industry-specific incentives are also available for investments in tourism and financial services. As part of these economic diversification strategies, the GSTK&N has also made a serious commitment to provide the framework whereby Information and Communications Technology (ICT) can become a lead sector of the economy of St Kitts and Nevis. It is the goal of the GSTK&N that within St Kitts and Nevis, Information and Communication Technologies would be used to the widest possible extent by all segments of society with a view to fostering, accelerating and sustaining the long-term social, cultural and economic development of the country. The GSTK&N is fully aware that for ICT to become such a major player within St Kitts and Ministry of Finance, Sustainable Development, Information and Technology November, 2006 1