SECURING THE TRANSITION:

FROM TRADE PREFERENCES TO GLOBAL COMPETITION ICT

98.              To unlock the potential of the ICT sector to create well paid jobs, Government is formulating a National ICT Strategic Plan to spell out its strategy to transform Mauritius into a Cyber Island.

99.              We need a high level of  ICT literacy and a large enough pool of ICT professionals.  Hence our decision to redirect budgetary resources to training at a level that opens job opportunities in ICT.

100.          The cost of international bandwidth is still on the high side for global competitiveness.  Last year we succeeded in bringing down the cost by 20 percent.  I am pleased to announce that the cost of International Private Leased Circuits (IPLC) on SAFE will be reduced by at least 25 percent as from 1st July 2006.  This should also trigger a reduction in the tariffs on services from internet providers including ADSL.

101.          It will, Mr Speaker, Sir, help to democratize access to information technology and bridge the digital divide.  In that context, DBM is to expand financing of computers to include laptops and software. (...)