The Universal Service Fund (USF) has spent over $3 billion in the 2023/24 fiscal year on initiatives to boost digital inclusion, including increasing access to high-speed internet across the island.
The entity’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Daniel Dawes, made the disclosure at the launch of Community Wi-Fi in Siloah, St. Elizabeth on Wednesday (March 20).
He said that the funds have been invested in the establishment of community access points (CAP), the setting up of Wi-Fi hotspots in communities and town centres, and other programmes.
“Also, we have 300 young people in training in institutions in [Kingston, St. Ann], Clarendon and Westmoreland. We give them $50,000 to learn coding, every two weeks, and promise them that once they are finished, and they do us proud and graduate, we will provide them with a job,” he noted.
Furthermore, Dr. Dawes said that the USF has committed to fully funding the tuition of any student who matriculates to Northern Caribbean University (NCU), University of Technology (UTech), or the University of the West Indies (UWI) from this coding programme.
Dr. Dawes said that the entity will continue to carry out its commitment to providing access to high-speed broadband in underserved areas, in fulfillment of a mandate given by Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, Hon. Daryl Vaz.
“The charge that Minister Daryl Vaz gave us is that we are to go by the byways and provide the people with access to this high-speed broadband,” he noted.
The launch of the Siloah Community Wi-Fi is the fourth such initiative in St. Elizabeth North Western, with previous launches in Balaclava, Quick Step, and Seven Corners.
The connectivity enables as many as 200 residents to freely log in simultaneously using their smartphones or tablet.
Grade five student at Siloah Primary School, Yanique Robinson, said the service will assist her in completing her homework, projects, and learn about happenings around the world.
“I thank the USF for giving us free community Wi-Fi,” said another student, Torriann Haye.
