National ICT Strategic Plan Government of St Kitts and Nevis of crime, and protection of pluralism and democracy. Strategic Steps to produce Legislatory Enabling Environment x A thorough inventory of all existing legislation and regulations related to the use of ICT should be conducted with a view to identifying inadequacies and gaps and to draw a programme for legislative revision and drafting. An annual review of all ICT-related legislation should be conducted. x Existing legislation should be revised with a view to ensuring that electronic record or documentation would not be denied legal effect, validity, admissibility or enforceability, that a legal requirement for "writing", or a description of something as being "in writing", and that the requirement for information to be presented or retained under "original form" is satisfied by an electronic record if the integrity of the information can be reliably assured. x Legislation should be put in place with a view to authorizing certification service providers to issue accredited certificates that confirm the veracity of an electronic signature and ensure authentication of issuers of electronic documents or Internet users when required by administrative or legal provision. A regional electronic signature and authentication agency, with due control of all governments and private sector (e.g. financial institutions) should be put in place as soon as possible. This legislation should be technology neutral. x Legislation should be adapted or established in order to define the conditions of the formation of contracts and provision of contractual documents in electronic form, including the protection of the legitimate interests of vendors and buyers and the provision of legal evidence to the administration and jurisdictions. Provisions should be made in order to give legal force to agreements between partners in business-to business electronic commerce regarding the appropriate technological and business methods of Ministry of Finance, Sustainable Development, Information and Technology November, 2006 30