Caribbean aims for a 2030 vision of shared digital ecosystem

After a hurricane a child in Barbuda logs into class on a satellite-linked tablet and doesn’t miss a lesson. On Saint Vincent, a nurse taps into a secure telemedicine network to review a Grenadian patient’s records.

In Santo Domingo, a fintech startup rolls out its payment app across Trinidad and Jamaica under one digital regulatory framework. And on Carriacou, a digital nomad works over gigabit-speed internet.

This was the vision of the Caribbean in 2030 as set out by the Prime Minister of Grenada Dickon Mitchell. He was speaking in The Bahamas at the Caribbean Association of National Telecommunication Organizations (CANTO) 40th Annual Conference and Trade Exhibition.

In the prime minister’s native Grenada efforts are ongoing to advance digital transformation including digital identity, but Mitchell advocated for a bigger ambition: a CARICOM Single ICT Space. A unified digital ecosystem enabling seamless movement of people, services and data across the region.

There is already international cooperation. The European Union supports a digital health project in Barbados and a digital justice initiative in Trinidad and Tobago. The EU and countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), under the umbrella of the EU-LAC Digital Alliance, have an agreement to deepen bi-regional cooperation to build digital public infrastructure (DPI), enhance interoperability standards and promote citizen-centric digital governance systems.

Against a backdrop of global technological evolution, Mitchell believes the Caribbean must unite around several critical priorities that will shape their digital future.

These include reliable satellite connectivity, seen as essential for small islands and disaster-prone regions, while a federated cloud infrastructure will secure data and ensure compliance with regional laws. Embedding robust fraud prevention and digital identity frameworks from the outset will foster trust across all digital services.

Cost-effective, vendor-neutral Open RAN and 5G deployments will accelerate the rollout of next-generation networks, and fostering interoperability alongside agile regulation will unlock the full potential of IoT, smart cities and fintech. Pairing AI-driven innovation with strong cybersecurity safeguards to ensure a secure digital future.

Mitchell urged CANTO to further its role, deepening activities in policy shaping, capacity building, investment brokering and talent development; with CANTO a way to amplify the Caribbean voice in global ICT forums.

The prime minister recognized the importance of the private sector in realizing this potential. “Governments cannot do this alone,” he said. “The private sector must be a full and active partner — not just in service delivery, but in shaping policy, co-investing in infrastructure, and ensuring inclusion.”

Mitchell honed in on telecom providers, saying they are not just service providers but partners in shaping their digital future — “your success is tied to the prosperity of the societies you serve,” he said. To achieve this, commitments to expanding affordable access in underserved areas, sharing infrastructure to avoid duplication, support for national initiatives like digital ID and cybersecurity, and investing in youth education is needed.

“This is not a dream,” said Mitchell, near the end of his speech. “It is a vision within reach — if we act boldly, collaboratively, and with urgency.”

CANTO is a platform for ICT cooperation, technical exchange and public-private partnership,  started in 1985 with eight members, and now constituting 120 members across 32 countries.

Last year, India pitched its DPI solutions across the Caribbean region. In October 2024, heads of 13 CARICOM states met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Second CARICOM-India Summit in Georgetown, Guyana. The Indian government took the opportunity to build more collaboration on digital public infrastructure, including a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Jamaica.

Article Topics

Caribbean  |  digital government  |  digital ID  |  digital identity  |  digital inclusion  |  digital public infrastructure