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The Government of Antigua and Barbuda has been committed to expanding information and communication technologies (ICTs) platforms, including all aspects of E-government, and is actively working to make Antigua the most well connected island in the Eastern Caribbean.

"We see ICTs as vital in fostering innovation, creativity and competitiveness in all industry and service sectors," said Hon. Dr. Edmond Mansoor, Minister of State Information, Broadcasting and Telecommunications. "My job is to roll out technology. The Government’s ICT policy is designed to upgrade the intellectual capital of the nation and to build an open society in which all residents have access to information. Each resident must have computer access," said Mansoor.

The Government has not only worked on wiring the country but also ensuring that the administration is wired with the creation of E-Government, a service that provides individuals and businesses with automated Government assistance and information. This will guarantee that the public sector is able to make use of technology to improve delivery and performance.

Innovations in ICTs have also increased the island’s capacity to interact with the global community and to access the benefits of global advances in education, healthcare and trade. The advantage of being small is that it is easier to fully introduce the technological infrastructure across the length and breadth of Antigua and Barbuda. Underlying the Government’s focus on enhancing ICT capacities is the recognition that ICTs hold tremendous potential for economic growth. "Through telecommunications we can bring to our citizens services not readily available in the islands such as telecommuting, distance learning, and telemedicine," said Mansoor.

"The endless possibilities of the internet coupled with the shifting face of technology have allowed the economic technocrats of Antigua and Barbuda to expand from their main source of employment, tourism, into other areas with economic potential," said Hon. Winston Baldwin Spencer, Prime Minister of Foreign Affairs. A major focus has been placed on financial services and online gaming. The economy has recently taken advantage of offshore banking, for example, which utilizes the advance ICT structure to provide secure internet banking. With internet banking, financial services have moved beyond the teller, branch or country. Take the Global Bank of Commerce in Antigua that has, with the help of ICT’s, been focused on international banking and wealth management services within the global market. "What many people don’t realize is the strong ICT infrastructure that exists in Antigua and Barbuda," said Brian Stuart-Young, Chief Executive Officer of the Global Bank of Commerce. The Global Bank of Commerce provides clients with 24/7 access to their accounts regardless of their geographic location. Clients may also access their funds via the Visa branded credit and prepaid cards at merchants and ATMs worldwide. Business customers can establish merchant accounts and conduct global E-commerce services, with an online review of customer transactions.

The advancements in ICT’s in Antigua have been astounding. Antigua and Barbuda was the first country in the Caribbean to do tests on Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WIMAX), and will most likely be the first to launch this service. Currently, the standard type of internet provider is WIFI which reaches approximately 300 feet but WIMAX expands wireless beyond 30 miles. "With WiMax we are making the final steps to full mobility," explained Monsoor. The government is also negotiating with Cable and Wireless to end an international dialing monopoly that, in theory, would have lasted seven more years. "The market would then be open to healthy competition that will bring prices down," said Mansoor. The Government is also considering granting licenses to land two submarine fiber optic cables. These will significantly enhance the existing fiber optic network. "Fiber optic cables will increase contact with broadband access and will decrease the cost by as much as 50% in some sectors," said Mansoor. With the priority put on ICTs and the brave steps made by the Antiguan government, Antigua and Barbuda has become a regional center of information technology excellence.