National ICT Strategic Plan Government of St Kitts and Nevis Foreword By the Honourable Prime Minister, Dr Denzil Douglas The forces of change that have been unleashed in the world through globalization along with the still reverberating effects of September 11th, combined with the discontinuation of the Sugar Industry have made it imperative for St Kitts and Nevis to plan strategically for its future. The Government of St Kitts and Nevis has consistently and diligently sought to diversify the economy so as to best absorb the external shocks that are being placed on the economy and in order to maintain economic growth. As part of this process of diversification, the Government of St Kitts and Nevis has long focused on using Information and Communications Technology (ICT) as the catalyst to achieve such growth. As early as 2002 the Government of St Kitts and Nevis showed its commitment to ICT by being one of the first signatories of the Cotonou agreement thereby dedicating its National Indicative Programme (NIP) to ICTs. The National Information and Communications (ICT) Strategic Plan is the natural outgrowth of the commitment that the Government has made to ICT. This document provides the roadmap to achieve the stated goals and also defines the following objectives: greater efficiency and transparency in the public sector; enhanced access to public information by citizens; greater access to technology, training and communications for all members of the community with special emphasis being paid to the disadvantaged; and economic diversification. The document calls for the creation of an “Information and Communications Technology Unit” (ICTU) within the Government of St Kitts and Nevis. This ICTU would act as the driving force to bring into existence the fundamental changes that must be made in order to transform St Kitts and Nevis into the desired e-society thereby leading it into participation in the global knowledge-based society. However, no stated plan can be successful unless the people fully embrace it and commit Ministry of Finance, Sustainable Development, Information and Technology November, 2006 1