Chief Executive Officer, Universal Service Fund, Mr. Daniel Dawes.

The Universal Service Fund (USF) in on track to establish 189 additional community wi-fi hotpots island-wide by the end of the 2021/22 fiscal year on March 31, 2022, to facilitate increased public internet access.

Community Wi-Fi hotspots are central locations within communities where citizens can access free internet. The establishment of these hotspots is in alignment with the USF’s thrust to bridge the information gap by providing internet access for all Jamaicans.

Highlights from Phase 1

Seaforth, December 1, 2021

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (third left), participates in the symbolic presentation of a $20 million cheque by the Universal Service Fund (USF) to the Public Broadcasting Corporation of Jamaica (PBCJ) to fund the PBCJ’s procurement of equipment to establish a dedicated free-to-air 24-hour education channel. Other participants (from left) are: PBCJ Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Keith Campbell, Board Member Ed Barnes; Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Fayval Williams; USF CEO, Daniel Dawes; Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Hon. Daryl Vaz; and USF Chairman, Justin Morin. The presentation was made during a handover ceremony at the PBCJ on South Odeon Avenue in Kingston, on Friday, December 17, 2020.

The research capabilities of the University of the West Indies, Mona have received a multi-million dollar boost courtesy of the Universal Service Fund (USF). On Tuesday, December 14, 2021, the Fund handed over $22.7 million to the regional tertiary institution to fund three projects aimed at implementing solutions to everyday problems through the use of Information and Communication Technology.

Under the USF’s Tertiary ICT Research Grant programme which was launched in 2020, a total of six proposals were received by the Fund from three institutions and evaluated by a panel of experts spanning the private and public sectors to determine the alignment to the USF mandate and the national priorities.

The projects include Jump Start led by Dr. Andre Coy which is a speech technology enabled automated tutor, Moving Eye by Dr. Paul Gaynor is an enhanced video monitoring alert system, and a study on the suitability of specific locations in Jamaica for Smart City status is being led by Dr. Louis-Ray Harris.

Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Hon Daryl Vaz, in his keynote address said, “Investments in education and innovation are crucial to the creation of a digital society. For too long our people have been consumers rather than producers of technology. It’s time for our country to become an innovative nation .”

In agreement with Minister Vaz was State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Robert Morgan, “One of the challenges we are facing as a developing nation is a need for more endemic research and development to boost local economic activity.”

In agreement with Minister Vaz was State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Robert Morgan, “One of the challenges we are facing as a developing nation is a need for more endemic research and development to boost local economic activity.” Chief Executive Officer of the USF, Mr. Daniel Dawes added that the USF shared the vision of a digital transformed society for Jamaica which see it continuously investing in Information Communication Technology.

Chief Executive Officer of the USF, Mr. Daniel Dawes added that the USF shared the vision of a digital transformed society for Jamaica which see it continuously investing in Information Communication Technology.

In accepting the donation, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the UWI Mona, Professor Dale Webber said the partnership with USF will increase the research potential of UWI. “This is important as at the UWI, today’s research can become tomorrow’s lecture enhancing the next generation to more rapidly engage in solutions for the future.

The industry-academic partnership will also drive UWI’s digital transformation as we demonstrate the relevance of the UWI in the National and regional development.”

USF is an Agency under the Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology, mandated to ensure access to information and communication technology tools to bridge the digital divide.