The retail sector should look to e-Commerce as a challenge rather than a threat. THE IMPACT OF ECOMMERCE ON SOCIETY The following are some observations relative to the impact of eCommerce on Society: (i) Employment It is reasonable to assume that there will be significant shifts in the skills required in this new environment. It is evident that the need for IT and Information management skills will increase in line with the trend currently prevailing in the leading World economies. The recent e-Europe Draft Action plan quotes a current shortfall of 700,000 IT specialists, which is expected to rise to 1.3million by 2003. Grenada's shortage has not been as overt, partly because the intensity of ICT is being stifled by a number of structural factors. The initiatives of the Government in liberalizing the sector will release market forces that will create pressures for greater supply of skills. Labour requirements in other sectors such as the intermediary sector may decline, but may in turn be offset by increased demand for labour in other sectors, which experience increased demand for their goods and services generated by e-Commerce. It is not possible to predict the net effect beyond stating that the demand for IT skills will experience a substantial increase which may, for a time, be beyond the capability of the educational system to meet in adequate numbers. It is worthwhile to 56 A STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN FOR GRENADA Anurag Sinha