The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas needs to address its social gaps before full digitisation of the economy can take place, an information and communications technology (ITC) executive warned yesterday.

Philip Darville, owner/operator of SolveIt Bahamas, told Tribune Business this nation needs to tackle its poverty issues before it can enjoy progress in digitising the Bahamian economy.

Arguing that it was hard to bring digitisation to all Bahamians, he added: “This isn’t overnight. This is a multi-year approach to changing everything when it comes to digital and that’s ground up. That’s a governmental body. That’s educational systems, a whole mix of things.

“We have seen the tragedy that has happened with the unannounced shift towards digital learning. We have seen thousands of students who are unfortunately not in a position to adequately continue their education because of social ills and social gaps that may not have previously been addressed.”

Mr Darville said it was easy to tell people the government intends to digitise, but if families are not in a position to achieve and benefit from this then it is a waste of time. “Digitisation has to go hand in hand with the elimination of social ills and gaps,” he said.

“We have to ensure that people have adequate access to technology, and not just giving someone a tablet, but it’s ensuring that these people are able to have electricity to be able to charge their tablets and have them able to function.”

“We need to build this new economy from the ground up. We’re seeing a shift towards an increase in opportunities for payment systems, so there is a road map, but this is something for the future,” Mr Darville added.

“But there are some pressing issues that need to be identified at the core, the gaps which exist for those who need the necessary skills from the primary school level. That’s what we really need to look at for the long haul.”