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CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC – The St. Lucia government Tuesday urged businesses and individuals to make the transition towards a digital future.
“The digital economy gives us the opportunity to spur economic growth, enhance national security, improve international competitiveness and create resilient and long term jobs,’ Prime Minister Allen Chastanet said.
He said his administration was working towards building economic resilience and the diversification of the economy as part of the strategic efforts is the development of the digital economy which ‘is comprised of economic activity driven by digital technologies used by individuals and businesses via the Internet, mobile technology and the Internet of Things (IoT)”
Chastanet said that as the island begins to adapt to life with the coronavirus (COVID-19,” “ we must accept that physical distancing will become the new normal and increasingly, we will have to rely on digital transactions as part of everyday life.
“I am therefore encouraging individuals and local businesses to commence making the transition towards a digital future. Businesses should begin to adopt the use of the internet and mobile devices to facilitate transactions.”
Chastanet said that citizens must begin to retool themselves by learning new skills which will make it easier for them to become digital entrepreneurs and digital employees.
He said over the past four months, his administration has been working with the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College here for the establishment of a Digital Academy.
“This will take some time to become fully operational, however in the meantime, I want to encourage all St. Lucians to begin familiarizing yourselves with these opportunities by taking online courses, many of which are free or extremely affordable”.
He listed a number of courses ranging from graphics design to programming and coding as well as crypto currency, blockchain, automation, artificial intelligence and robotics
Chastanet has promised to share ‘a lot more information and advice, whilst consulting with various stakeholders to receive input for the required legislation and incentives to create an environment to facilitate our thrust into the digital economy”.
