Environment, Planning and Infrastructure Strategy Minister Walter Roban will participate in the Trinidad and Tobago ICT Business and Innovation Symposium 2010 this week.

The theme of this year's conference is 'ICT Innovation: Staying Ahead' and it will run through tomorrow at the Hyatt Regency, Trinidad.

Mr. Roban will present a paper on Bermuda's telecommunications reforms and will sit on a ministerial panel focused on "Harnessing the Power of ICT Development".

His paper will include legislative reforms designed to accommodate technological convergences, spur innovation, encourage e-commerce and broaden the uptake of ICT (information and communications technologies) to its citizens, a Government statement on Friday revealed.

"For example, the change from managed competition to full competition is based on a robust and transparent regulatory framework that has embraced international best practices to support sustainable facilities-based competition; innovation and new services; competitive prices and the removal of licence barriers to enable efficiencies," the statement added.

Others on the panel will be Minister Edmond Mansoor of Antigua and Barbuda, Minister Rudrawatee Nan Ramgoolam of Trinidad and Tobago, and the Secretary General of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Hamadoun Toure. The panel will be moderated by Secretary General of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU), Bernadette Lewis.

"I was both honoured and enthused to be invited to such a one of a kind event," Minister Roban said. "I am looking forward to sharing Bermuda's telecommunications plan going forward and to investigate how we can coordinate our efforts with other CARICOM members to the benefit of all involved.

"As I said last week in my Ministry initiatives for the legislative session 2011 Bermuda must sustain its development in a world of rapid technological change. It is my job to make certain that not only does Bermuda not get left behind, but that we are the leaders of the future in this regard."

The Minister will be accompanied by Permanent Secretary for The Ministry of Environment, Planning and Infrastructure Strategy Dr. Derrick Binns.

For further information please visit www.ictsymposiumtt.com