Judge us on commitments- Robinson
Published:Thursday | May 30, 2013 | 12:00 AM
Daraine Luton, Senior Staff Reporter
GOVERNMENT MINISTER Julian Robinson has told the public to judge him and the Portia Simpson Miller-led administration by commitments he gave for the delivery of various projects while addressing legislators in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.
"We, traditionally as a country, have not focused on ensuring that we implement," Robinson remarked as he closed his contribution to the 2013-14 Sectoral Debate.
The minister, who is junior to Phillip Paulwell in the science, technology, energy and mining ministry, focused much of his presentation on the role information communication technology (ICT) will play in national development.
"What I have done is to bring specificity to implementation," Robinson told legislators, while noting that he had inherited some of the projects and was committed to seeing them through to fruition.
"By providing this detail, we are also increasing our accountability. We have put out there what we intend to do, by when, how we intend to do it and what we intend to do," the first-time MP said.
Arguing that his presentation represents a roadmap with "very specific deliverables and time frames", Robinson said by providing specific timelines, the opposition, media and the general public can hold the Government to account.
A critical part of the road map, as highlighted by Robinson, is the strengthening of the country's ICT's governance and administrative framework through the promulgation of key pieces of legislation, policy and regulatory reform.
The minister said the Government was moving to put in place a single regulator to remove the inconsistencies and overlapping jurisdiction that currently exists.
He also said the Government would, this fiscal year, table a data protection bill in Parliament.
"The act will seek to protect the privacy of individuals in relation to personal data and the regulation of the collection, processing, keeping, use and disclosure of certain information relating to individuals," Robinson said.
In explaining the need for the legislation, Robinson said, "Each time you go online, there is somebody who tracks your development, whether it be shopping online, whether it be banking online".
He added: "We have to have the legislation to protect the privacy of individuals."
Timelines advanced
The implementation ofnumber portability by May next year.
The implementation of a GovNet platform, which would reduce telephony cost to the public sector by the first quarter of 2014.
Cyberemergency Response Team to be put in place to assist in protecting the country's Internet infrastructure by December this year.
The commencement of a pilot for free and open-source software by July this year.
Cybersecurity Task Force to be established by next month.