Premier in Barbados touting e-gov initiatives
Premier Alden McLaughlin speaks in Barbados
(CNS): Premier Alden McLaughlin spoke at the Central Bank Meets Blockchain Conference in Barbados today on what officials said was the “ongoing successes of the Cayman Islands in its continuing work to improve e-government services and embrace digital technologies and industries”. McLaughlin joined a number of other speakers at the conference, including Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley. He reportedly told the conference that the Cayman Islands had taken a regional leadership role “in progressive reforms” with the development of legislation, regulation and policy in relation to e-government and digital technology.
McLaughlin noted that Prime Minister Mottley had committed to follow many of the e-government initiatives that Cayman is adopting, as well as “the encouragement we are providing to attract companies that operate in the digital sector”.
He was asked to speak by Marla Dukharan, the chief economist of Bitt Inc., a Barbados-based technology company focused on digital payments. According to a release from the premier’s office, Dukharan “has repeatedly touted the Cayman Islands as ‘the best run economy in the Caribbean’ in talks and discussions around the region.
Yesterday McLaughlin met with Sen. Kay McConney, who heads up the Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Smart Technology in Barbados, to discuss the “Cayman Islands’ wide ranging programme of e-government initiatives”.
Barbados is said to have looked at the “advances made by Cayman in recent years” regarding e-government, according to the release, and is seeking to move along a similar path.
McLaughlin said e-government initiatives were a priority of the last administration he led, when a dedicated unit was created under his ministry. The current administration has continued, with several initiatives underway.
While there have been some significant improvements in the amount of information and documentation the Cayman government now provides online, the issue of buying and paying for services over the internet remains a significant barrier to further development.
The issue of e-business is not confined to government but also impacts the private sector, where the ability to order and pay for goods or services online is still a challenge for shoppers and merchants alike.
Category: Business, Caribbean, World News
The honourable premier obviously has not had to stand in line at the dvdl because the e-system simply doesn’t work. I signed up when it first went live and have only managed one transaction. Despite numerous emails back and forth the final answer from dvdl was that ‘they don’t know what is wrong’.
My oh my how times have changed huh. Remember the good ole days when McBush flew a d flew and flew and McMC complained complained a d complained.
Where have these times gone right g. Ack the good old days.
Boy oh Boy what an ungrateful bunch commenting on this. I guess it is so bad here that not one of you want to leave.
“Cayman and CIG are simply World Class”. I assume this is a sarcastic remark on the writer’s part. Not with this lot we have running things now.
All of the combined tech savvy and mental genius of the vane CIG Cabinet, including DoT, CIAA, and Planning Dept, can’t keep our million+ dollar parking ticket machines (that don’t accept anything other than small-bill KYD cash) working for more than a few minutes. They were acquired to replace the friendly man at the parking gate to void one salary. Now we have at least two full-time cashier/roving issue specialists on the payroll spaced hundreds of yards apart (arrivals machine not even installed flush with wall), and the machines still don’t work. How do you like that for e-economy efficiency Barbados?
Are all of those pre-printed forms on the ground floor of GAB museum pieces, or are they still mandatory for the Caribbean leaders in e-government?
after ppm govt done with us fellow caymanians…we going all be lining up by the NAU (needs assesment unit)?!????????
“So with our e-gov initiatives employers can just pay a work permit fee and receive permit electronically….no pesky filings to complete with lies about qualifications and position requirements…just pay the fee…that’s all there is too it…I’m not sure why nobody thought about this before Mini Marco and I…we’re like mensa smart I guess”
gone get some advice from lodge friends?????????????
He couldn’t do that online?
since when does Cayman have to follow the eastern Caribbean in any form or fashion?
Chip implants coming next to a Caricom member near you!
Haha Borgman.
Nice to see an awake person. Stay strong, my friend.
Already done it with our cars…..
On a lighter note, hope he goes to Oistins on a Friday/Saturday night and does something similar here. 🙂
There is nothing wrong with money and things that convey true value.
Blockchain is just another nail in the coffin of the total control of humanity.
Blockchain and cryptocurrency are total foolishness.
Let the smart people debunk my statements and you can start by explaining exactly where cryptocurrency originated.
After you think you know, I will tell you the answer. Visit this thread again tomorrow.
There are smart people in Cayman right now expending effort in gearing up for crypto. You are going to to lose your shirts. Perhaps you have lost them already?
Stick with your business model or face short term doom.
When cryptocurrency is here to stay, I can assure you, it will be subcutaneous.
ignorance is bliss..
people said the same thing about the wheel, combustion engine and the internet
now blockchain
I suggest that you read again. Your cognitive dissonance is astounding. Read again and then tell me about the origin of Bitcoin.
Well I guess that no one wants to take me up on this.
The truth of the matter is that you DO NOT KNOW where cryptocurrency originated and more importantly, WHY it originated.
You pseudo-intellectuals are throwing around all these buzzwords and you have no idea where they came from, what they mean and most importantly, how our lives will be impacted.
Stop it.
Cayman and CIG are simply World Class
5:41 pm , maybe in your Boasting way.
“Advances by Cayman gov’t”, what a load of baloney. Please don’t follow our lead Barbados, we are as backward as any of them. Most of the multitude of obscure CIG websites haven’t been updated in years. We’re deep into the second year of an RFID license plate exchange scheme, only partially complete, without any RFID readers to make it matter. EMS is taking delivery of $6mln in obsolete Motorola tech from 5 years ago. $60mln airport has made no provision for USB charging stations common at most departure areas…cutting edge and forward thinking we are not!
This is why it is important that we benchmark ourselves against ‘northern’ countries – to continue striving for improvements – because when places like Barbados follow in our footsteps it tells you how far we are ahead of the rest of some other places in the region.
Hi 509…….also no water fountains. Not enough rest rooms and etc.