SECRETARY'S INITIATIVE ON GLOBAL INTERNET FREEDOM: JAMAICA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KINGSTON 001789 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR (BUDDEN),EB/CIP/BA (FETCHKO) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECPS EINT EAID PHUM JM SUBJECT: SECRETARY'S INITIATIVE ON GLOBAL INTERNET FREEDOM: JAMAICA RESPONSE REF: STATE 142147 ¶1. This cable responds to reftel request. Responses are keyed to template provided. -------------- Context -------------- ¶2. USAID/Jamaica Economic Growth Strategic Objective Program for FY2005 through FY2009: Under USAID/Jamaica's FY2005 to FY2009 strategy of "Increased Trade Competitiveness in Targeted Industries", its economic growth program aims to improve the capacity of targeted industry clusters and firms to contribute to economic growth and job creation and to benefit from trade and investment opportunities. The program focuses on strengthening industry clusters and firms in tourism, agriculture, and entertainment and culture, each of which have been identified by the Government of Jamaica and the local private sector in the National Industrial Policy as the industry sectors that present the greatest opportunities for Jamaica to be competitive. USAID/Jamaica's assistance also includes the provision of limited technical assistance to improve the environment for doing business by reducing impediments to business growth and investment. ¶3. The following projects were identified: ¶A. Project Name: Tourism industry cluster website upgrade to facilitate increased sales for small and medium-sized hotels and attractions. Recipients: Unique Jamaica, a network of Jamaica Tourism Cluster Members, comprising hoteliers, restaurants, and tour operators. Project Description: Increasing Competitiveness in Tourism and Improving the Business Environment for Developing the Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise Sectors. Upgrading of the tourism industry cluster's website to facilitate on-line bookings for small and medium-sized hotels and attractions, in an effort to increase sales for small and medium-sized tourism industry enterprises and to expand the tourism market beyond the large, all-inclusive hotel chains. IT Component: ICT in Support of economic growth; Program that expands public access to ICT; and website development. FY 05 Funding: USD 12,000 FY 06 Funding: USD 0 ¶B. Project Name: Development and Investment Manual Development Recipients: The Office of the Prime Minister/Cabinet Office, Government of Jamaica and the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce. Project Description: Increasing Trade Competitiveness and Improving the Environment for Doing Business in Jamaica. The production of an on-line Development and Investment Manual that will be accessible via the Internet and will serve as a guide for any type of development/investment project in Jamaica, whether by local or foreign investors. Having been identified as a key constraint to doing business in Jamaica by the private sector and the Government of Jamaica, the availability of this manual will improve the business climate and facilitate investment and development. IT Component: ICT in Support of economic growth, E-government and Program that expands public access to ICT. FY 05 Funding: USD 0 FY 06 Funding: USD 200,000 or more, depending upon final assessment ¶C. Project Name: Improving the Jamaican Business Visa Process. Recipients: Ministry of National Security (Immigration Department), the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, the Customs Department, Government of Jamaica and the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce. Project Description: Increasing Trade Competitiveness and Improving the Environment for Doing Business in Jamaica. Work with recipients to remove a major impediment to doing business, by improving the Jamaican business visa process, including clarifying the proper procedures for business class visitor entry into Jamaica, streamlining policies and regulations, training Immigration Officers in immigration procedures for facilitating business entry into Jamaica, conducting public outreach sessions, producing brochures to be disseminated among the Ministries, Foreign Consulates, KINGSTON 00001789 002 OF 003 Immigration Officers, and the Jamaican business community, and publishing the brochure and related procedures on-line. IT Component: ICT in Support of economic growth, E-government and Program that expands public access to ICT. FY 05 Funding: USD 13,000 FY 06 Funding: USD 0 ¶D. Project Name: Entertainment and Culture industry cluster website development to facilitate increased income-generating opportunities for local studios and musicians which/who must compete with larger studios from around the world. Recipients: "JamaicaSignatureBeats", a network of experienced technical and creative music professionals, including studio operators, musicians and record producers. Project Description: Increasing Competitiveness in Tourism and Entertainment and Culture and Improving the Business Environment for Developing the Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise Sectors. The development of a website for the entertainment industry cluster to facilitate on-line bookings of small, independent music studios and local musicians, in an effort to increase income-generating opportunities for local studios and musicians who must compete with larger studios from around the world. IT Component: ICT in Support of economic growth; Program that expands public access to ICT, and website development. FY 05 Funding: USD 12,000 FY 06 Funding: USD 0 ¶E. Project Name: Community Development Project Fund. Recipients: Non-Government Organizations and Community Based Organizations: -- Hampton Court Community Center -- Stony Hill Primary and Junior High -- SIMBA Education -- Church Action Negril -- Point Hill Reading -- Goldsmith Villa Development Center Project Description: Provide limited grants for community-based self-help activities initiated by private sector and non-governmental organizations. IT Component: Provision of 43 computers to 6 community groups FY 05 Funding: USD 160,000 FY 06 Funding: USD 0 ¶F. Project Name: Expanding Educational Horizons Recipient: Ministry of Education and Youth, at-risk youth in twelve NGOs, and students and teachers in 71 primary schools Project Description: Expanding Educational Horizons (EEH) is USAID/Jamaica's five year (2005-2009) education project in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Youth to help improve primary education across Jamaica by promoting child-centered strategies. The education project builds upon the previous USAID project, New Horizons for Primary Schools Project (NHP),which helped improved the quality of basic education in 71 schools. Expanding Educational Horizons will continue to work with the 71 former NHP schools, graduating those which have achieved a specific level of proficiency next year before selecting new schools to participate in the project. The EEH also provides remedial education and life skills training to at-risk youth in twelve NGOs. IT Component: Technology is being used by the project schools and NGOs for: enhancing curriculum; teaching and learning; and managing of the education system at central, regional, school, and classroom levels. FY 05 Funding: USD 0 FY 06 Funding: USD 345,000 ¶G. Project Name: Caribbean Center For Excellence in Teacher Training. Recipient: Joint Board for Teacher Education, University of the West Indies (schools in twelve English speaking Caribbean countries). Project Description: Caribbean Center for Excellence in Teacher Training (C-CETT),is a Presidential Initiative established in 2001. C-CETT provides innovative leadership to strengthen reading KINGSTON 00001789 003 OF 003 instruction and increase the reading skills of primary school students throughout the English-speaking Caribbean. IT component: Information Communication Technology (ICT) is one of the key components of the program. This investment has expanded teachers' access to ICT, enabled our implementing partners to train school administrators and classroom teachers to use the technology and to equip participating primary schools with computers. Results achieve to date include the establishment of a Wireless-Wide Area Network (W-WAN),linking participating primary schools, teacher training colleges and the University of the West Indies facilitating live broadcast of trainings, the archival of innovative materials and greater collaboration and sharing of information between and within countries. The C-CETT has also provided schools with a web-based Management Information System to assist schools in treating a wide range of administrative issues and to track and monitor students' progress in reading. C-CETT has designed online distance education courses to build a knowledge community in the Caribbean focused on the teaching of reading. FY 05 Funding: USD 400,000 FY 06 Funding: USD 0 ¶H. Project Name: The Adolescent Healthy Lifestyle Project/JA-STYLE Recipient: Ministry of Health, youth in targeted areas in Jamaica Project Description: The Adolescent Healthy Lifestyle Project seeks to promote healthy lifestyles by improving healthy reproductive behaviors and reduce risky behavioral practices among adolescents. IT Component: Provision of computers to NGOs to access information on adolescent reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, drug abuse, capacity strengthening, and financial management. It is also a source of communication to a global audience and for networking with partners. FY 05 Funding: USD 10,000 FY 06 Funding: USD 0 ¶I. Project Name: HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Program Recipient: Ministry of Health, youth and most at-risk sub-groups Project Description: To increase healthy behaviors among youth, reduced HIV prevalence in youth and most at-risk sub-groups, and mitigate economic impact of HIV/AIDS. IT Component: In FY2005, the Ministry of Health, through a grant from USAID/Jamaica, provided six laptop computers and five multimedia projectors to strengthen the ability of four Regional Health Authorities to respond the HIV/AIDS program in Jamaica. Specifically, this equipment is used for outreach to raise awareness of the epidemic, assist persons in assessing their risk, and assist with tracking the growth of the epidemic while monitoring the progress made. FY05 Funding: USD 19,558 FYO6 Funding: USD 0 ¶J. Project Name: N/A Recipient: Inner-city communities of Grants Pen, Central Village and Flanker. Project Description: Improved Governance through Citizen Security and Participation. The Democracy and Governance Program will facilitate the free flow of information by providing selected Community Based Organizations (CBOs) with limited computer equipment. The new computers will enhance their institutional capabilities to undertake fund-raising in a more systematic and efficient fashion, undertake more efficient financial management and raise the level of their strategic planning capabilities. IT Component: Provision of computers to enable locally based community based organizations to improve their institutional capabilities to undertake fund-raising, strategic planning and financial management. FY 05 Funding: USD 0 FY 06 Funding: USD 50,000 ¶4. Post point of contact is Economic Officer John Morgan (morganjs@state.gov, tel. (876) 935-6028). HEG