Bridging the Digital Divide through Infocomm
Qatar’s e-government capability was recently bolstered by the launch of its new e-Government Portal, Hukoomi (www.gov.qa), which provides a single gateway to online e-government services and information.
Despite the many benefits of improved access to government services and information, it is of little use without the corresponding adoption of infocomm among the public. With one in every three people living in the MENA region between the ages of 10 and 24, there is no shortage of uptake among the youth population. But alongside this youth bulge, and as the MENA population increases, so does its elderly population. This may be a small share of the total population, especially compared with Europe where one-third of the population will be age 60 or older by 2050, according to recent UN projection, but the numbers entering old age will continue to rise – and without the right attention, they could easily be left behind.
When it comes to bringing the benefits of infocomm technology to more people, Singapore is setting the example, with a series of initiatives designed to get the elderly, as well as the needy and disabled, connected to the digital world.
In the small island state of Singapore, the elderly are being helped to connect and engage with the digital world, the disabled are receiving valuable vocational training and the needy are benefiting from free PCs to transform their horizons. In short, the world of infocomm is coming alive to the people who most need it.
The triple mission is part of the iN2015 masterplan, co-created by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA Singapore – www.ida.gov.sg), the industry and the citizens, which aims to ensure that every Singaporean benefit from infocomm as the nation moves collectively into the Digital Age.
Under the Silver Infocomm Initiative, senior-friendly learning hubs are being rolled out across Singapore as a place where the elderly can come to learn and develop digital skills. The plan is to establish eight such hubs, known as ‘silver junctions’, over the next three years. With one in five Singaporeans expected to reach the age of 65 by 2030, this project will ensure the independence and economic activity of this important slice of the resident population.
IDA is building on the success and the huge potential of its NEU PC programme, launched in 1999, which has already helped equip 24,000 needy households with a computer bundle. In order to ensure that the most needy have access to the programme, IDA has set up the INSPIRE fund as an extra financial instrument that will assist some 4,000 students from needy households over the next four years.
A final initiative under the masterplan is designed to train some 4,000 people with disabilities over the next three years to help increase their self-independence and job prospects. By mid 2008, an Infocomm Accessibility Centre (IA Centre), housed within the premises of the Society for the Physically Disabled (SPD), is expected to be fully operational.
Bridging the digital divide across the globe
Several countries in the Middle East are engaged in determined e-government journeys, signalling the capability of infocomm to spur a nation’s economic and social development. Saudi Arabia is one such country to have recognised the value of infocomm in enhancing economic competitiveness, and during a recent Saudi e-Government forum in Riyadh, Singapore was on hand to offer its experience.
The Infocomm Singapore delegation to the conference included solutions providers such as Amdon, BoxSentry, Crimson Logic, Ecquaria Technologies, NCS Pte Ltd and SQLView.
Several Infocomm Singapore companies are already engaged in projects in the Kingdom, among them the NCS group, recently contracted by the Economic Cities Agency (ECA), the lead agency responsible for the development of six new economic cities in Saudi Arabia, to design a world class Smart Services Centre (SSC) that will enhance government and municipality services. And there is CrimsonLogic, engaged by Saudi Arabia to develop SaudiEDI, a customer-focused and value-added IT service organization set up to provide easy-to-use eTrade services for the trading community in Saudi Arabia.
Beyond Saudi Arabia, the use of Singapore expertise and its 25 years plus experience of developing and implementing innovative e-government solutions is being leveraged to help advance the development goals of the region.
A world first: Singapore delivers wireless broadband connectivity in its seaport
With one of the world’s fastest growing economies, Qatar is undergoing rapid development. The massive influx of investments in the Qatari economy and the import of great quantities of commodities and raw materials needed for the development process have resulted in a surge in import-export activity. Qatar is not alone in this experience – the UAE is another engine of growth in the region.
In order to support such development, the region’s port authorities will be looking to achieve even greater operational efficiency and higher service quality through the innovative use of infocomm.
In Singapore, this is already happening. Ships operating in the port of Singapore, and up to a full 15km from Singapore’s coastline, can now enjoy full wireless mobile broadband connectivity, thanks to the launch of Singapore’s first mobile WiMAX ready seaport.
Set up jointly by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) and QMax Communications Pte Ltd (QMax), WISEPORT, as the project is known, aims to help the maritime community achieve even greater operational efficiency and higher service quality through the innovative use of infocomm.
WISEPORT has already received strong interest from the maritime community, with leading companies and organizers quick to recognise the benefits of improved operational and business efficiencies, enhanced human communications, greater offshore activity, and access to new business opportunities. QMax, the appointed operator for the WISEPORT services, has seen more than 250 account subscriptions even before the official launch of the service.
With high satellite communication costs now a thing of the past, IDA, along with its partners, is helping to strengthen the pro-enterprise environment of the maritime industry and further Singapore’s growth as a global hub port and maritime centre.
WISEPORT is part of the Infocomm@SeaPort Programme, a three-year S$12 million joint initiative by the MPA and IDA to promote the use of infocomm technologies in the port and maritime community. The project builds on IDA’s iN2015 masterplan to use infocomm to transform key economic sectors in Singapore, while further strengthening the country’s position as a global transhipment hub.
