Underserved communities across the island will have access to affordable broadband services following a recent announcement by the Jamaican government.

This will be achieved through a number of initiatives aimed at increasing digital inclusion and ensuring more citizens can access the Internet at a reasonable cost.

Minister without Portfolio with direct oversight for Skills and Digital Transformation, Senator Dana Morris Dixon, says these planned initiatives will be executed through public-private partnerships (PPP) to leverage existing infrastructure, enabling third-party providers to offer broadband services in communities that currently lack sufficient access.

Addressing the eGov Digital Public Service Strategic Discussion held at Jamaica House earlier this week, Senator Dana Morris Dixon disclosed that the government is collaborating with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to explore ways to reduce broadband costs for Jamaicans. 

This partnership, she explained, is part of a broader effort to enhance connectivity in town centers and extend more affordable internet services to residential areas.

In addition to the PPP model, the Holness administration has initiated the installation of community hotspots across the nation. 

She said these hotspots are primarily located in central areas, such as bus parks and town centers. Recognizing the limitations of this approach, Minister Morris Dixon highlighted the need for broader coverage, noting that the focus is on ensuring that all citizens, including students needing to complete homework late at night away from town centers, have reliable internet access.

She argued that the initiative being pursued by the government to provide more affordable and widespread internet service is critical, as studies show that current internet costs are prohibitively high for many Jamaicans.