According to a release on the Agency’s website dated March 29, 2019, the RDA through a consultant is “looking to introduce enough disruptive information technology into the BVI society to increase the expectations of residents enough to create a market for improved ICT use in the territory.” Photo: VINO/File

After the Hurricanes of 2017, the communications infrastructure of the VI was in disarray with the territory basically cut-off from the outside world, an issue that is detrimental to any society in the 21st century. Photo: VINO/File

Disrupt

According to a release on the Agency’s website dated March 29, 2019, the RDA through a consultant is “looking to introduce enough disruptive information technology into the BVI society to increase the expectations of residents enough to create a market for improved ICT use in the territory.”

This according to them, will create efficient public services, facilitate better business, and improve lifestyle practices in the BVI, however, it is still unclear the implementation timeline of the project.

After the Hurricanes of 2017, the communications infrastructure of the VI was in disarray with the territory basically getting cut-off from the outside world, an issue that is detrimental to any society in the 21st century.

The RDA says that part of their mandate is "to identify technologies and practices that should be adopted for use to promote sustainability with ICT and IoT in the BVI.”

VI too far behind?

Further, the RDA wants strategies that can be employed to enable the use of these technologies and practices in the BVI with procedures to enable the territory to utilise and collected electronic data for more efficient management of government assets, and many see this as the agency’s attempt to force the people of the territory to demand more from ICT providers. 

The agency is also looking at how the current urban environment can be advanced and developed with technology to improve the quality of life of the visitors and citizens of the VI through a 'Smart City' initative. 

Amidst controversy, the RDA was established to implement the Government’s recovery plan following the devastating effects of Hurricane Irma in 2017 and has a mandate to complete a portfolio of projects worth approximately $1b.