Dickon Mitchell | Accelerating Caribbean integration and development

For decades, we have aspired to regional integration. Yet, in many ways, we remain fragmented – socially, and politically.

• Climate change continues to ravage our shores while we scramble for resources to rebuild.

• Cybersecurity threats emerge as our economies digitise, yet we remain fragmented in our defences.

• Social inequities persist, leaving too many of our people on the margins of opportunity.

These challenges are not abstract. They are real, and they deeply impact the lives of our people. When a hurricane destroys a family’s home in Grenada, when a young girl in St Kitts and Nevis is denied meaningful access to the Internet she needs for her education, or when a business in Trinidad and Tobago struggles because of ineffective and outdated trade policies, these are not just policy issues. These are the lived realities of our people.

And yet, within these challenges lies immense opportunity. The Caribbean has always been resilient, resourceful, and visionary. But resilience alone is not enough any more. We must move from merely surviving to thriving.

HARNESSING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AND COLLECTIVE POWER

The digital revolution presents a golden opportunity. Technology doesn’t just connect us. It empowers us. It allows us to innovate, collaborate, and overcome the constraints of geography and size. Imagine a Caribbean where every citizen has access to affordable, high-speed Internet, where essential services are mobile and efficient and where regional hubs drive innovation in agriculture, tourism, and manufacturing. These aren’t distant dreams. They are within our grasp if we act boldly and decisively.

WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO HARNESS DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY?

To harness digital technology effectively and accelerate regional integration, we must address four critical realities:

1. Collaboration with the private sector: Governments cannot keep pace with the rapid advancements in technology alone. Successful initiatives like Planet’s satellite imagery, which allowed us to expedite the damage assessments needed after Hurricane Beryl to unlock multilateral relief funding and Jamaica’s J-SRAT (Systemic Risk Assessment Tool) system for climate resilient infrastructure planning highlight the importance of public-private partnerships.

2. Supportive regulatory environments: The slow pace of regulatory change and duplication of regulatory requirements across our many islands often impede progress. We must streamline processes to create a fertile ground for innovation and digital transformation.

3. Infrastructure investments: Robust digital infrastructure is essential. Strategic investments and partnerships are crucial to supporting the digital economy we envision.

DIGITAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

The importance of equipping our people with the tools to thrive in a digital world cannot be overstated. The global job market is transforming, and the demand for digital competencies is growing rapidly across every sector. Yet, our education systems have struggled to keep pace with these shifts, leaving too many of our young people unprepared for the opportunities of tomorrow.

It is our collective responsibility to ensure that the gap does not persist and that our youth are equipped with the skills they need to succeed in the digital economy.

Plans to develop a CARICOM Digital Skills Fund to support a wide range of training initiatives across the region are well on the way.

In Grenada, a CyberNations pilot programme is set to begin this month along with other collaborative initiatives aimed at advancing digital skills and innovation. Grenada is also spearheading the development of a Centre of Excellence for Digital Skills and Artificial Intelligence, which will serve as a hub for training, research, and innovation – a place where the Caribbean can lead in shaping the future of technology.

Luckily for Grenada, the programme is not limited to young people. I propose an AI Experts Roundtable to engage with CARICOM Heads of Government directly. A move to ensure that Caribbean leaders are prepared to navigate the complexities of artificial intelligence and leverage its potential for the benefit of our societies.

WIDER DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AGENDA

The CARICOM Digital Transformation agenda focuses on four additional areas critical to our digital transformation:

1. Cybersecurity: As cybercrime becomes a growing threat, collaboration among governments, businesses, and international partners is vital. The establishment of a regional cybersecurity alert system, led by CARICOM IMPACS, will be an important a step forward. This initiative emphasizes cross-border coordination among governments, businesses, and international partners.

2. Artificial Intelligence: Responsible AI use is key to the future. Plans to establish an AI Centre of Excellence in Grenada to support research and ethical AI applications across the region.

3. CARICOM E-Payment Platform: The e-payment initiative under design represents more than a financial tool. It is a symbol of our shared vision for a digitally empowered Caribbean. By enabling seamless cross-border transactions, it will foster trade, enhance efficiency, and reduce dependence on external financial networks. Harmonising regulatory frameworks is essential to secure operations and prepare for a more digitally economic future.

4. Digital Health: The development of the CARICOM Digital Health Strategy to reshape how we deliver and access healthcare across CARICOM is also in the making. Telemedicine, for example, holds significant promise to expand specialist services across countries and to expand the available market for our specialists in the region.

CALL TO ACTION

So, how do we turn these conversations into commitments and commitments into action? By focusing on a few imperatives:

• Collaborate Boldly: Build partnerships that go beyond the ordinary. Work across borders and sectors to transform lives. Collaborate on CARICOM’s Digital Skills training programmes and invest in initiatives that empower our youth.

• Innovate Fearlessly: Embrace digital technology as a tool for solutions not a source of fear.

• Act Accountably: Hold ourselves to the highest standards and ensure that promises made today become the realities of tomorrow.

The Digital Skills Fund and future AI Centre of Excellence will be instrumental in fostering talent, innovation, and collaboration across the Caribbean and will catalyse the transformation we envision.

Collaboration is more than working together. It’s about combining strengths, bridging differences, and moving forward as one. And solutions – real, actionable solutions – are what our people need.

The time for action is now. To create a digitally transformed Caribbean that is resilient, vibrant, and thriving, we must harness the collective power of our shared vision to build a brighter, more connected future.

Dickon Mitchell is the prime minister of Grenada and former chair of CARICOM. This article is from his keynote speech “Action Time - Accelerating Caribbean Integration and Development.” At The Connected Caribbean Summit held in Miami in December 2024. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.