Technology Task Force Restores Connectivity to Hundreds of Schools

Hundreds of schools affected by Hurricane Melissa have been reconnected and provided with technological support through ongoing recovery initiatives being coordinated under the Office of the Prime Minister.

Chairman of the National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Task Force and Deputy Chair of the Technology Recovery and Resilience Task Force, Christopher Reckord, highlighted the progress during a plenary session on ‘Harnessing Diaspora Talent to Build Jamaica’s AI and Digital Future’, during the just-concluded 11th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James.

Mr. Reckord noted that the education sector has been a major focus of the recovery effort, with a dedicated working group assessing the needs of schools across affected areas.

He informed that institutions were assessed “to figure out who had bandwidth and who didn’t have bandwidth, working with suppliers and partners to reconnect them to their various networks and also providing equipment in those schools”.

He noted that the diaspora partners have provided assistance through tools and technologies.

Mr. Reckord indicated that the Technology Recovery and Resilience Task Force continues to meet weekly to monitor progress and ensure that recovery initiatives remain on track.

The Task Force was established following Hurricane Melissa to assess the impact of the disaster on critical technology infrastructure and coordinate recovery efforts.

It comprises several working groups focused on restoring and strengthening technological systems impacted by Hurricane Melissa.