‘Smart use of ICT key factor for success’ |17 May 2016

VP Faure launches ICT week

‘Smart use of ICT key factor for success’

 “The smart use of ICT by companies is a critical factor for success, innovation, competitiveness and growth,” Vice-President Danny Faure has said.

“Therefore it is important that companies also invest in ICT solutions so as to assist them in improving their products or services and potentially even revolutionise their business,” added the vice-president.

VP Faure was speaking at the official launch of the Information Communication Technology (ICT) week yesterday at the Eden Bleu Hotel on Eden Island.

The ICT week commemorates the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day which is celebrated every year on May 17.

Also present at the launch ceremony were ministers, Dr Indrajit Banerjee, director of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco)’s Information Society Division who was the keynote speaker. His presentation was based on ‘The Knowledge Society and the role of broadband in sustainable development’.

Other dignitaries and officials of the ICT department also formed part of the audience.

The World Telecommunication and Information Society Day is commemorated to help increase awareness of the possibilities that the use of the internet and other information and telecommunication technologies can bring to societies and economies as well as a way to bridge the digital divide. It will give visibility to the actors of the sector and the works they are putting in.

The week has become an annual event and it was first commemorated last year. This year it is being celebrated under the theme ‘ICT entrepreneurship for social impact’ which is in line with government policy where it is putting emphasis on entrepreneurship and on the development of small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) which not only play an important role in the economy of a country but are crucial in economic stability.

In his address VP Faure urged businesses, irrespective of their sizes, to embrace  ICT and use it in order to be more effective and efficient and in certain sectors to compete with other jurisdiction in the international market.

“The smart use of ICT by companies is a critical factor for success, innovation, competitiveness and growth. Therefore it is important that SME’s also invest in ICT solutions so as to assist them in improving their products or services and potentially even revolutionise their business,” said VP Faure.

He added regarding the ICT week a special effort is made to have a forum targeting young and aspiring entrepreneurs.

He also acknowledged that even if the use of ICT brings significant benefits, it also brings challenges.

He added the country continues to make important strides in terms of structural development and access to ICT devices and services.

VP Faure also highlighted the significant increase in internet connections in homes and in mobile subscriptions due to 4G network. He also mentioned the predicted increase in use of ICT sector by 4.5% this year.

In line with government policy of encouraging and promoting competition in the ICT sector, a third subscription television broadcasting service licence was granted to Airtel to provide subscription television service through mobile network.

Regarding social media, VP Faure hailed its importance and the increase use especially in Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, just to name some, especially by the youth and academia. But he also cautioned against the danger it can pose especially to our young people.

“Therefore the importance of creating awareness and sensitising the public on the benefits and challenges of social media cannot be over emphasised,” he added.

He hoped the debate being organised tomorrow at the UniSey as part of the week’s activities will contribute towards such objective.

Activities for the ICT week will go on until Friday.