National ICT Strategic Plan Government of St Kitts and Nevis z Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) – This Project component would ensure the appropriate development of legal standards with UNCITRAL Secretariat as well as assist in the formulation of appropriate regulations to ensure that IPRs are protected as per international standards. – The OECS Legal Drafting Unit as well as ECTEL would play a significant role in assisting St Kitts Nevis to draft these laws. The establishment of an appropriate legal framework for ICT development would facilitate the growth of ICT in St Kitts and Nevis, including e-business and e-government related activities, and create the environment for ICT related foreign direct investment. Developing ICT Human Resources Of absolute priority is the continuing struggle towards a smarter society. The widespread deployment and utilization of ICTs is directly dependent upon the ability of a population to become ICT proficient. To that end one should first seek the widest possible level of ICT literacy through inclusion of ICT in formal and informal education and the training of teachers and instructors. z To that end Government should - Call for and support vocational training (e.g. with a professional education levy or incentive, subsidies, study loans, etc.) with a view to upgrading the ICT skills of the present workforce. - Call for and support learning and information-oriented lifelong education programmes to be initiated through community access points (CAPs). - Expand on-going computer literacy efforts in primary and secondary schools into information literacy and culture in the formal education system through appropriate curriculum and pedagogic changes. Ministry of Finance, Sustainable Development, Information and Technology November, 2006 5