 Disaster Mitigation; and  Restoration of normalcy. Sustainable communication and interoperability are vital for the security of the nation during a catastrophic event, thus ICT has a critical role in Continuity of Government (COG). It creates the critical infrastructure needed for the survival and preservation of the nation when faced with vulnerabilities and threats. IX. NATIONAL ICT OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES AND TARGETS 1. To establish an efficient national ICT infrastructure throughout the country with easy and reliable access to regional and international networks; 2. To deploy affordable, high speed, broadband telecommunication service throughout the country; 3. To provide an effective legal and regulatory framework to facilitate and encourage the development of ICTs; 4. To promote and facilitate the use and application of ICTs by all segments of society for economic, social and cultural development; 5. To integrate ICTs fully into environmental management plans and programmes; 6. To encourage the business community, especially SMEs, to utilize ICTs for improving competitiveness and productivity; 7. To promote and facilitate establishment of a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship within Barbadian society; 8. To encourage the development of cultural industries and the inclusion of local content in radio and television programmes; disaster 32