The Tribune

By SANCHESKA DORSETT

Tribune Staff Reporter

sdorsett@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday announced his government’s intention to launch several technology driven pilot programmes, including a new emergency management alert system, the installation of free Wi-Fi in public parks and spaces and ‘pay as you go’ electricity metres.

During his presentation at the Global Symposium of Regulators 2017, Dr Minnis said the initiatives will create a “smart and connected” Bahamas, under a new “Be Smart Bahamas” initiative which will be “crucial” to his administration achieving its goals.

Dr Minnis said a signature government project coming this month will be the introduction of a “Centre of Government Approach” which will provide up to date information to him and his senior Cabinet ministers on the status of priority projects and programmes.

“I imagine a day, when Bahamians on every major island and cay can perform health assessments from his or her home with a medical professional in the capital via a smart device and an internet connection. In the development of our National Health Insurance (NHI) programme, the integration of medical records throughout the healthcare system will be critical in healthcare delivery and outcomes. I imagine a day when a young Bahamian mother using an app on her smart phone, books an appointment for her child at the healthcare facility of her choice and the child’s records will be available when she shows up for her visit. At the conclusion of the doctor’s visit, a medical prescription will be forwarded electronically to the pharmacist,” Dr Minnis said.

“The Bahamas experienced two major hurricanes in the last two years and so to enhance hurricane preparedness we will launch a pilot programme called Alert Bahamas. This is a national emergency warning system that will provide national alerts through email and text messages. Can you imagine, if a hurricane or catastrophic event passes through our country, a warning system being utilised using the street lighting system that will continue to flash warning the public that disasters are coming? So once our nationals recognise and see the flashing throughout the country, that would serve as a warning that a disaster is coming.”

The nation’s leader also said the government has launched a free Wi-Fi project in two communities in New Providence and is looking to expand this to “all government operated parks.”

“The government of the Bahamas will introduce two measures, firstly we are working to have Wi-Fi services in the parks and public spaces within the inner city with a view to free Wi-Fi in certain communities,” Dr Minnis said.

“I am happy to announce that free Wi-Fi has been introduced in one of our parks in Fox Hill and in my own constituency Gambier. We are presently looking at extending our Wi-Fi programme through all government operated parks. We are also seeking to pilot smart metres to enable prepaid electric metering in various communities, so that consumers can better monitor their electricity usage and top up when needed in a similar way as they manage their cell phones.”

Dr Minnis also said his government has allotted significant funding for piloting a technology programme for preschools.