Hon. Daryl Vaz, Energy Minister Speaking In Parliament on Broadband Rollout Islandwide

February 4, 2022 | By Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie |

A Game Changer

There are steps being taken to effect the broadband rollout as soon as possible islandwide.

St Catherine, Westmoreland and Portland elsewhere are the geographic areas being targeted.

Flow Asked To Help

“Flow has been asked to provide  broadband strands to link Montego to St. Ann and Portland to St. Thomas.  This is to link schools across the island.”

The MP who has dubbed himself as a results oriented individual spoke with a level of confidence that was most refreshing.  This comes on the heels of him issuing a cease and desist order on the Jamaica Public Service Company Limited (JPSco).

JPS

Jamaica Public Service Company Limited (JPSco) has agreed to offer free of cost the use of their poles to enable the installation of Fibre Optic cables to facilitate the roll out of the Islandwide broadband service.  Contracts are being negotiated and bids are been invited to effect the installation of cables.

The National Works Agwncy (NWA) has been designated as the implimenting agency “

Minister Vaz was reporting to the Parliament on the National Broadband Rollout.

Commentary

This is a game changer and the Energy Minister and his Cabinet colleagues must be commended for this initiative.  It will go a far way in improving connectivity to those who can least afford this vital service.  The Pandemics disruption of face to face school contact has meant that remote learning has to be done. The broadband rollout will help to achieve this objective.

Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie was in Parliament and filed this report for Vision newspaper. He is a poet, elegist, aurhor & Senior International Journalist