Pictured from left to right are – Director of GovTech Barbados Limited, Noah Haynes; Deputy Chairman, Lydia McCollin; Chairman, George Connolly; and Director, Wainelle Alleyne-Jones. Missing from the photo is Director, Chade Smith, and nominees representing the Head of the Public Service and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Innovation, Science and Technology. (MIST)
The Government of Barbados has established a Government Technology Agency called GovTech Barbados Limited. The agency was incorporated under the Companies Act, Cap. 308 on September 19, 2023.
The Government considers the establishment of a GovTech Agency as a critical component in the overall execution of its digital transformation mandate. GovTech Barbados Ltd. will stand at the centre of the Government’s digital transformation and innovation ecosystem.
It is envisaged that GovTech Barbados Ltd. will become a world class digital hub that drives national innovation, and once fully established and operationalised, will attract investors and generate income and commercial activity.
GovTech is a term that refers to the use of technology to improve the delivery and efficiency of government services, as well as to promote citizen engagement and participation. GovTech can also be seen as a whole-of-government approach to public sector modernisation and innovation, with the citizen at the centre of reforms.
GovTech works by leveraging various technologies, such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, big data, blockchain, internet of things, and cybersecurity, to create digital solutions that address public sector challenges and opportunities.
The Board of Directors of GovTech Barbados Ltd. was appointed for a period of three years with effect from September 21, 2023, and comprises the following members:
- George Connolly – Chairman
- Lydia McCollin – Deputy Chairman
- Wainelle Alleyne-Jones – Director
- Chade Smith – Director
- Noah Haynes – Director
- Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Innovation, Science and Technology or Nominee – Director (Ex officio)
- Head of the Public Service – Director (Ex officio)
The goals of the GovTech Agency in Barbados are to:
- identify and empower a private sector-led innovation ecosystem facilitator to lead the technology hub’s mapping and growth over the next three years;
- develop a physical innovation centre and corresponding virtual communities to explore new technologies, share ideas, learn and grow;
- create a platform for technological research and product development;
- remove existing roadblocks to creativity, innovation and technology entrepreneurship, including govtech, fintech, and civtech solutions;
- nurture and attract start-ups and scale-ups that generate sustainable value;
- facilitate and support the rapid development, and/or procurement, and deployment of public digital services on the behalf of the Government of Barbados;
- engage in constant research given rapidly changing technologies; and
- procure the best technologies that will meet the needs of not only ministries, departments and agencies and the private sector, but also the end users.
