BARBADOS eTRADE BALANCE SHEET SUMMARY

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BARBADOS e-TRADE BALANCE SHEET SUMMARY

• E-trade Bridge Kick Off meeting for Central
  America and the Caribbean
• November 10-11, 2003
• Caribbean Export Development Agency

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Overview of Presentation

• This presentation will look at the following
• An Overview of Barbados
• Introduction-the Telecoms environment
• Macro Level Analysis
• Meso Level Analysis
• Micro Level Analysis
• Conclusion

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Overview of Barbados

• Area 431 sq km
• Population 274,540 (estimate 2003)
• Anglican
• Parliamentary Democracy Political System
• Fully Digital Telephone System
• GDP US2,602,500 (current prices 2000)
• GDP/Capital US9,682 (2000)

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The Telecoms Environment

• New telecommunication legislation put in place
• Monopoly agreement with Cable and Wireless to be
  phased out.
• Granting of three cellular licenses
• Liberalization of the fixed digital

5
Macro Level

• Policy Strategy at the National Level
• No clear ICT Strategy by Government
• National E-commerce Committee in place
• National Council for Science and Technology
• Removal of duties and VAT on computer and parts

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Macro Analysis

• E-Government Initiatives
• Government of Barbados Information
  Network(GOBINET)
• Placing computers in community centres so that
  persons can have access to these facilities
• Placing legislations online

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Macro Analysis

• Legal Regulatory Framework
• The Telecommunications Act
• Electronics Transaction Acts
• Small Business Development Act 1999-23
• Act to come on stream
• The Computer Misuse Act
• The Computer Piracy and Data Protection Act

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Meso Analysis

• Trade Promotion Support Agency
• BIDC
• SBDC
• SBA
• BMA
• BCIC

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Meso Analysis

• Financial Support
• Fund Access
• BYBT
• YES
• Mentorship
• BYBT
• Network International

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Meso Analysis

• ICT Infrastructure
• Fully digitalized telephone system
• Internet Access
• Computer and networking services
• ISPs
• Web developers, programmers and marketers
• Barbadian businesses presence online
• E-commerce websites

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Meso Analysis

• Human Resource Framework
• EDUTECH 2000
• Barbados Community College
• Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic
• UWI Cave Hill
• Ameritech
• Computers and Control

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Micro Analysis

• Attitude, Culture and IT Use
• High cost of Internet and telcoms services
• Use of ICTs to stay in contact with family
• As a business tool e.g. online phone calls,
  e-mail use
• Shopping on the net
• Generally the traditional way of conducting
  business is preferred

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Micro Analysis

• E-Professional Availability E-Trade
  Capabilities
• There are a large number of ISPs, Web Designers,
  Web Hosters, Domain name providers
• NGOs cyber malls
• Barbados infrastructure allows for E-trading

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Micro Analysis

• E-business Environment
• Lack of E-banking capabilities
• E-commerce infrastructure fairly developed
• Lack of bandwidth
• Fulfillment centers carry a high cost

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Conclusion Balance Sheet
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Conclusion

• Barbados is not far ahead in the ICT sector but
  it is not lagging behind there just needs to be
  some change in mindset of business people,
  government making a concerted effort to develop
  that sector. SMEs looking at their counterparts
  in the region and internationally and following
  suite.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION