JAMAICA | Pioneering the Digital Caribbean: PJ Patterson's Vision of Connectivity and Culture

KINGSTON, Jamaica, April 5, 2024 - In an era where digital connectivity have begun to shape the destiny of nations, the Caribbean is setting its sights high, thanks to visionary leaders like former Jamaican Prime Minister PJ Patterson who stands as a beacon of progress and innovation.

From the prestigious platform of The P.J. Patterson Centre for Africa-Caribbean Advocacy, Patterson recently heralded the telecommunications sector as a cornerstone for the region's future, emphasizing its unparalleled role in forging a digitally empowered Caribbean.

In a heartfelt address to the Digicel Graduate Programme, Patterson eloquently mapped out the transformative journey of telecommunications in the Caribbean.

"The true impact of the telecommunications sector on the Caribbean region simply cannot be measured,- no matter what metric you use" he professed, spotlighting its pivotal role in shaping the region's destiny.

Building out the Caribbean’s telecommunications sector is easily among the most important investments ever made in the Caribbean region, Patterson said as he addressed the graduation ceremony of the Digicel Graduate Programme yesterday, on the topic of the Caribbean Metaverse.

Reflecting on his tenure as Minister of Development, Planning, and Production, Patterson recounted the arduous yet rewarding battle against the then hundred year old telecommunications monopoly, paving the way for an era of innovation and competition that fundamentally altered the digital landscape of Jamaica and beyond.

“We developed convincing arguments that telecommunications technology was too important to escape the rapid and catalytic force in the global market!”

Patterson's vision for the future, encapsulated in his introduction of the 'Mas Metaverse', invites young innovators to architect a digital realm that embodies the Caribbean's rich tapestry of cultures and traditions.

This envisioned digital ecosystem transcends technology, integrating the Caribbean's dynamic creative economy, which contributes a staggering 6.1 percent to the global GDP, according to UNCTAD. It's a call to harmonize the digital with the creative, crafting a future where technology amplifies cultural expression and connectivity.

The former Jamaica prime minister told the Digicel graduates that “I want you to use your imagination to design the metaverse that you devise to operate in the Caribbean; to fashion the digital world you want to live in.

I call it the Mas Metaverse because I want you to think through what the Caribbean digital lifestyle should look like - the good, the bad, and even the ugly that you must avoid.”

“To achieve sustainable development, we must drive our entrepreneurial and creative skills which are critical and indispensable elements in our learning as a people. Let's capitalize on the shared space in the Caribbean creative imagination that manifests as carnival and recreation in the region - extending into Latin America,” he said.

This is where technology meets another significant resource, our Culture and Creative industries.  The development of the digital revolution should not be advanced without thought of our rich and varied culture and the creative industries in lockstep.  Digital and creative go hand in hand.

Our Mas Metaverse must be grounded in something that you all at Digicel understand well.  Facilitating connections and making and retaining connections throughout the Caribbean is invaluable.

Exploring, making friends, performing, developing skills through Broadband, retain your contacts from within the cohort and all the people you met in the programme.  They will become your business partners, and remain your colleagues on your professional journey. 

The effects of this revolution in telecommunications telephony are seen all across the Caribbean. But no other country in the region reflects that impact more clearly than Haiti, a country with which your company has an important relationship.

Digicel must not abandon its considerable investment and charitable tradition in Haiti as it is critical, particularly as we see the heart-wrenching challenges occurring there now.

Just think of what the ‘Digicel-multiplier’ has been - the number of people whose lives have been directly touched and transformed since the people inside can speak with their relatives in the Diaspora constantly and receive their remittances on their cell phones.

This narrative of digital transformation and cultural integration gains further depth with Patterson's emphasis on the significant economic contributions of the creative and digital sectors.

He highlights the astounding growth of the Global Data Analytics Market, which stood at USD 61.44 billion in 2023 and is projected to soar to USD 581.34 billion by 2033.

Such figures not only underscore the economic potential of these sectors but also illustrate the critical role of data and digital technologies in driving sustainable development and innovation across the Caribbean and beyond.

That is remarkable and must be the basis upon which business decisions are made today. He said data as a commodity is these days compared to the value of oil.

But even more importantly, I am pointing you towards how we as human beings use the knowledge and information we gather, our most important assets and tools, to be wise. 

Look far down the road and seek to determine the positive and negative implications of the big decisions you make, Patterson told the Digicel graduates

The mobile phone is, perhaps, the most versatile tool ever made.  Why?  Because within it now, is every other tool you often use - your calculator, tour diary, your camera.

You can check your vital organs, transfer money, record a song, send a book, watch a movie, and create art among a range of daily activities.

You graduates are therefore operating in the most pivotal sector in global security and development. You are standing in a place of power, from which real change can and must occur.

Its impact is greater than the first mobile printing press which helped to spread knowledge wider and more quickly than ever before during the Middle Ages.

Unlike Gutenberg, who died a virtual pauper, the moguls of modern technology are now among the world's wealthiest billionaires. 

As we also know, technology exposes us to the dangers of cyber warfare, scamming, interrupting services in utilities, air travel, hospitals, banks, and essential corporate operations for ransom payments.

At the present level, it is rife with racial and gender abuse, calumnious and abusive content; erroneous stories and lies.

We cannot turn back the technology tide, but there must be sanctions and penalties. The purveyors and perpetrators must suffer serious hurt in their pockets.

A brand-new legal compass at the national, regional, and universal levels, has to be created with the advent of the information and technology revolution to avert total chaos now and forever.

It even poses a threat to our own democratic systems by way of voting fraud and fair electoral campaigns.

In the midst of fierce, and at times bitter political rivalry here and elsewhere in our Caribbean, we must constantly remind ourselves that our brave fight against colonial rule was the outcome of sacrifice by many warriors who lost their lives for a cause.

Our Independence constitutions were the product of bipartisan consensus. Therefore, no section of our Constitution should be altered within a single week, without any prior and genuine parliamentary consultation, and not even bothering to find out why it was so provided in the first place.

Everyone now owns a cell phone.  Social media is an easily accessible powerhouse that exposes everything, wrong or right.

It is now a formidable electoral force with which contending political parties are bound to reckon or ignore at their peril.

In concluding this inspirational journey, the vision set forth by PJ Patterson for a digitally empowered Caribbean underscores a broader imperative for innovation, connectivity, and cultural preservation.

The 'Mas Metaverse' is more than a concept—it is a beacon for the Caribbean's digital future, a future where technology and tradition coalesce to create a vibrant, inclusive, and dynamic region.

Patterson's legacy, characterized by perseverance, innovation, and an unwavering belief in the Caribbean's potential, serves as a guiding light for current and future generations to explore the vast possibilities of the digital age.

As the Caribbean strides forward, it does so with a clear vision and a strong foundation, ready to embrace the myriad opportunities of a digitally connected world.

The Statesman-in-Residence in The P.J. Patterson Centre for Africa-Caribbean Advocacy, at  The University of the West Indies aims to centralize and coordinate its relations with African peoples, governments, universities, and institutions through a specialized institutional agreement.

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