The Jamaica Sustainable Development Network Networking at the National Level

1. The Jamaica Sustainable Development Network Networking at the National Level Prepared for Workshop on “ Using Information for Decision-making on Sustainable Development- Issues and Challenges for Caribbean SIDS” Organisation of American States and UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs May 27-28, 2003, Rex St Lucia, St Lucia

2. Genesis of the SDN • SDN - a UNDP initiative developed in response to Agenda 21. • Objectives: To facilitate access to information and support the process of SD through the use of ICTs.

3. Attributes of ICT4D ICTs offer a powerful mechanism to: • Facilitate cost effective access to and dissemination of information • Promote non discriminatory dialogue • Establish communities of interest across borders • Provide visual representations of complex development issues eg through GIS • Provide opportunities for modelling various outcomes based on specific scenarios

4. JSNDP Jamaica SDNP operationalised in 1998 Mission To enhance citizens’ capacity to access, understand, distribute and utilise information to enable them to sustain their livelihoods and socio-cultural values while conserving their natural environment.

5. INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS • Multidisciplinary steering committee including private sector, public sector and academia representatives • Institutionalised in October 2002 as not for profit NGO • Multidisciplinary Board • Continued support from UNDP/GOJ

6. FOCUS • Connectivity • Capacity • Content • Cost

7. ACTIVITIES • Rural telecentre establishment • Capacity building in basic computer use and the Internet as well as other applications • SD web site establishment & maintenance • Web page development and hosting • Database establishment and information management

8. Community focal points A combination of a community telecentre and information focal points Partnerships developed based on criteria: • Must have a community development and or an information dissemination mandate • Must have a secure location • Must have trainable staff • Must be willing to function as a node for a community information network

9. Community focal points (cont’d) • Must have proven ability to network and serve a wide constituency of community interests • Location must have community consensus

10. Features of Agreement JSDNP provides: • Equipment • Training for staff and community members • Training material, operating guidelines

11. Features of Agreement(cont’d) Partner delivers: • Secure location • Trainable staff • Ready access and assistance to public • Quarterly reports on # users, user profile, revenue, expenditure • Information sub-committee

12. Focal point partnerships • Liguanea Cybercentre, St Andrew • Bluefields Peoples Community Association • Browns Town Branch Library • Montego Bay Marine Park • International School of Jamaica, St Mary • Caribbean Coastal Area Management Programme, Clarendon

13. WHERE WE ARE • Six rural community focal points established-several have leveraged additional support for their activities • More than 500 persons at the community level trained in basic computer applications and use of the Internet • Provision of Internet/computer access to over 4,000 persons in the seven locations which are served by JSDN cybercentres • Standardized operating guidelines and business model established for community cybercentres • Business Development programme underway to ensure financial sustainability of the Network

14. WHERE WE WANT TO BE Want to • create a culture that values information at all levels • make the point that information, unlike other commodities, increases in value the more it circulates • foster recognition of the value of local knowledge and have communities recognised as legitimate custodians of their own information

15. WHERE WE WANT TO BE • support focal points in their quest to respond to the development needs of their constituents: • Via literacy, distance learning, online discussions • Livelihood enhancement using tools such as ecommerce, digital art, digital music • Increased involvement of youth in community development process

16. WHERE WE WANT TO BE • Support new and emerging resource management groups such as local forestry management committees, local watershed committees, water users associations etc • Facilitate emerging governance structures and processes such as Parish Development committees, and local sustainable development planning processes

17. Strategies to get there • Development of community web sites, • Development of a community information network involving local partners and stakeholders • Establishment of a GIS based Development Information system with community level detail • Provision of access to tools and relevant applications to emerging local management groups • Extending the network of community focal points

18. Features of community websites • Community profile -demographics,economic activities, resource organisations • Projects-ongoing and planned • Community events • Issues of concern Plans to link these with online newsapers

19. Development Information system • Should be a community owned and maintained resource • Should make use of GIS and overlay demographic and other social and economic features on natural resource base maps

20. Lessons Learned • CBOs NGOs and other CSOs have an increasing role to play in the SD process • ICTs are a valuable tool to support the SD process on a number of fronts and at various levels • CSOs operating at the community level are well placed to introduce the technology and adapt to the development needs of the community • Capacity building at the local level to harness use and disseminate information using available technology needs to be an ongoing process • The process of empowerment of citizens to effectively participate in SD is a time consuming and involved one and should not be compromised for short term gains

21. Thank You For Your Attention