April 14, 2000
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OAS-CABLE AND WIRELESS DEAL A BOON TO CARIBBEAN SMALL HOTELS

 

Computer and internet assistance is at hand for small hotels around the Caribbean, thanks to a cooperation program bringing the Organization of American States (OAS) and Cable and Wireless together. The two institutions on Friday formalized their collaboration that will deliver Cable and Wireless voice and data services to some 1800 small tourism facilities in regional countries where the telecommunications provider operates.

Documents setting the partnership in motion were signed before small hotel coordinators gathered at the Grand Barbados Hotel for a series of OAS meetings and briefing sessions.

Assistant Secretary General Ambassador Christopher R. Thomas signed for the OAS along with Trevor Clarke, Cable and Wireless Barbados Chief Executive Officer and Director for the Windward Islands. Ambassador Thomas said he hoped this partnership would spur more private sector interest in similar ventures. Saying his agency would continue pursuing economic and social development for the hemisphere, the OAS official declared that "our efforts will only bear fruit if we enjoy the support and active participation of the private sector and wider civil society."

The assistance will be channeled to properties linked to the OAS’ Caribbean Tourism Competitiveness and Sustainability (CTCS) project, which is already delivering technology service through a corps of U.S. and Canadian volunteers. The objective is to help the hoteliers to become more competitive. Under a special program Cable and Wireless has set up, the small hotel owners can also buy computers at discount prices.

According to the Cable and Wireless executive, the company recognized "the critical value and importance of this new technology to businesses and in particular to small indigenous businesses." He also stressed how "Cable and Wireless stands ready to assist in whatever way it can, specifically in the area of new technology."

Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago are earmarked for commencement of the program and other countries are expected to be brought on later.

The program also involves the creation of the Caribbean Innkeeper website and a technology "walk-in" (training) center in each country. At these centers Netcorps volunteers help train hoteliers in various aspects of technology, including website design.

The CTCS national coordinators on Friday ended the two-day meeting in Barbados very pleased at what they gleaned from their sessions that coincided with the OAS/Cable and Wireless signing. Leslie Benjamin-Trotman of Guyana’s Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Industry found it a very informative exercise. One of the early program associates, she welcomed indications of more assistance with equipment to boost that country’s small hotels sector.

Lorraine Headley of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Ministry is one of the newest participants. With certain problems common to the countries, she was happy to be taking home solutions from the sharing exercise.

The meeting brought together small hotel coordinators from all across the Caribbean to exchange ideas on the way forward. They were also briefed on the status of the project.

Summing up the deal with the leading telecommunications group in the Caribbean, the CTCS project coordinator Dr. George Vincent, who is based at the OAS headquarters in Washington, said he was encouraged that Cable and Wireless "came on board to support a program that is already proving to have such great impact."

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