CYBERPARKS INTRODUCTION A Cyber Park according to the International Association of Science and Technology Parks (IASP) is “ An organization managed by specialized professionals, whose main aim is to increase the wealth of its community by promoting the culture of innovation and the competitiveness of its associated businesses and knowledgebased institutions. Cyber parks play a significant role in stimulating national IT development and establishing logical links with the global market through forging partnerships for developing information and telecommunication technologies. A Cyber Park can act as a catalyst to develop the business infrastructure for such a mission. Developing countries have increasingly relied on cyber parks as a preferred tool for promotion of IT industry. These countries are often constrained by severe infrastructure limitations. Therefore, it is easier for them to provide world class infrastructure in select areas. Developing countries like India and China have concentrated on state-of-the art physical, communication and social infrastructure in cyber parks to enable IT companies from around the world to operate BPO (Business Processing Outsourcing) and ITES (International Technology Enabled Services). Unlike other industrial clusters, cyber parks are not constrained by factors such as the availability of natural resources, or raw materials. The key resource requirement is availability of quality manpower. One of the main reasons for the success of China and India in the IT sector can be attributed to their highly educated and skilled manpower. It has been observed that cyber parks generate spillover effects, leading to a virtuous cycle of local economic development. Cyber park development helps generate the impetus to local development of industries such as building construction, real estate, retail, lifestyle and recreation. DESIRED OUTCOMES 1. Poverty Alleviation though accelerating economic growth; 2. Job creation and career growth particularly for low-income women and youth and for technical and technology graduates; 3. Leveraging international knowledge resources to enhance a country’s economic and ICT base; Belize ICT National Strategy 57