Business View Caribbean - August/September 2018

90 91 increasing interest and a need to respond to these imperatives and assess the organiza- tional structure and operational efficiency of the SMA. This will take the form of a compre- hensive organizational review which will spe- cifically seek to transform the systems, opera- tions, processes and structure of the SMA to: l Respond to the current needs of the Ja- maican telecommunications sector; l Align the organization with the mandate of the Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology (MSET) as well as those of global trends in the telecommunications sector; l Determine the existing strengths, weak- nesses, threats and opportunities of the SMA’s operations; l Evaluate the relevance of existing programs and projects; l Review the current talent, knowledge-base and capacity of the SMA staff in light of changing national demands; and l Review and evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of systems, processes and structures that support the operations and resource management and utilization in all areas of the SMA. The SMA completed the recent fiscal year with a staff complement of 37, which rep- resents approximately 90 percent of the ap- proved establishment of 41 posts. Significant- ly, in the course of the year, the SMA family welcomed on board Dr. Maria Myers-Hamilton who has assumed leadership of the SMA’s operations as the Managing Director. The planned activities of the SMA for the 2018/19 FY will include: l Pursuing the core functions of: licensing spectrum users, resolution of interference complaints according to established stan- dards, monitoring and inspection to ensure the legitimate and efficient use of the spec- trum, and collection of fees as targeted; l Ensuring good corporate governance and statutory compliance within/by the Authority; l Fulfillment of Local, Regional and Interna- THE SPECTRUMMANAGEMENT AUTHORITY OF JAMAICA tional obligations; and, l Performance Monitoring in order to achieve established targets and ensuring compliance with all statutory obligations. The medium to long-term focus on spec- trum management will primarily be on the following: l Financial prudence and stability; l Staff Recruitment, Retention and Train- ing; l Policy and Legislative Improvement in line with Jamaica’s Vision 2030 Plan; l Capital Resource upgrade; and l Public awareness. Wireless broadband has been a key lever for digital inclusion in developed and developing countries. Penetration of wireless Internet and the economic and social benefits deriv- ing from it have been increasing. Ensuring that the citizens of Jamaica have access to universal and affordable broadband will lead to accelerated development throughout the country. Examples of the benefits of wireless broad- band include access to educational content (eLearning Initiative across Secondary and Primary schools), health services, and e-gover- nance solutions. Broadband also affects how people connect to each other, how they en- gage in democratic processes, and how they read their daily news. These factors have gen- erated an increase in data traffic and demand at an unprecedented rate. Efficient spectrum management is mandatory to meet these challenges and bridge the digital divide. PREFERRED VENDOR n Sagicor Life www.sagicorjamaica.com