In the area of technology. I believe that Barbados needs an Information Technology Authority which has responsibility for egovernance infrastructure and block chain technology. Other areas for governance such as animations , internet technologies etc. Such an authority would be to position government to adapt quickly to new and emerging technologies and to position Barbados to benefit in impactful ways. We as a country never created the enabling environment to drive ecommerce despite the UWI who was training persons to the Masters level in this arena. One of our hinderances is the ability to create the legislative framework around these technologies that would drive its development a similar hiccup is in the arena of the blockchain technology.
As I write a person is comes to my mind who could be impactful in this area. Douglas Trotman Attorney at law. He was a computer science lecturer who was trained to masters level in China, was functional in Chinese mandarin, he later pursued law and have been practicing for more 12 years. I believe he can initially pioneer this kind of work that a technology authority would have under its remit. I do not believe that creating an authority will be a costly undertaking for government. But it would an agency that drive the build out of new emerging industries that spins off of emerging and disruptive technologies.
I also want to see a developing design technology environment in Barbados. One that helps Barbadians develop design models for their ideas and products. This can be done in partnership with industries in China, Malaysia and so on. Where creative design of products and packaging can occur after ideas and research and development have taken place. Too often there is impediment in moving from idea to design. We in Barbados do not have to drive a manufacturing sector if it means that the cost to bring our products to market is higher than competitors and that makes our products uncompetitive. So we need to do more in research and development to support entrepreneurship and have a design infrastructure that compliments those ventures. Maybe the design technologies curriculum in schools can be further develop.
Finally, I wish to introduce the Minister of Energy to an engineer from Trinidad who I believe should be invited here to Barbados for talks on the development of our Oil Industry. He has shared a lot of interesting development in that industry over the years with me and how he felt Barbados could benefit especially in offshore drilling.
Regards
David Gittens
Good morning David
MIST ( Ministry of Innovation, Science and Smart Technology) is in the process of examining an appropriate structure to address issues you raise and others. You may also be aware that the Prime Minister mentioned that the government will hire a technology consultant as an adviser. That individual will be expected to assist in addressing some of these issues with respect to governance and infrastructure and others.
Before there can be any success with regard to any of the ideas that are posted here there first has to be a policy and enforceable practice as it relates to Intellectual Property and the submission and ultimately the potential collaboration with the parties submitting the ideas.
Most people submitting ideas on this and any fora, while they want to "assist" government in its regrouping and growth initiatives wants to have a clealy defined pathway as it relates to the protection of their innovations and inventions.
There is nothing here that starts that process of equitable exchange of ideas and as such it is setting up persons making submission for a situation where EVEN IF THEIR IDEAS ARE GRAFTED IN PART, OR IN WHOLE, the party doing the submission will feel used when they are not compensated.
This site is particularly amateurish since it does not serve the create and foster an environment where an idea can be submitted and nurtured to serious growth.
I will explain this using an example of an idea submitted by a party on Mobile RVs and Ferries.
An intra island ferry service is an excellent idea, the aspect with the mobile RV has its logistical challenges given the size of the vehicles and the optimal transport subscription to make that idea viable.
However, who is to say that the party submitting the proposal has not detailed the component of establishing the ferry component extensively enough to implement such a ferry?
So at what point would (a) their proposal be accredited for its thoroughness even though (b) the RV component IS NOT adopted in whole or in part?
So say that the government decides to only use part A and leaves out part B, who is credited for the idea?
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