St Kitts telecommunication company, The Cable has completed the roll-out of free Wi-Fi in all 17 community centres in the island a week and a half ahead of schedule.

This joint partnership between The Cable and the Ministry of Information and Communication started on January 25 with the launch of free Wi-Fi at the St. Johnston Community Center, the very first one to receive the service. 

Less than two months later all 17 community centres across St Kitts are now enabled with Wi-Fi service throughout the facilities. 

In addition, the service is available around their premises compliments of the local telecoms company.

Patricia Walters, The Cable CEO, described this milestone as a major achievement in the company’s history, which has the potential to have the highest impact on the beneficiary communities for many years to come.  

She asserted that “The wide availability of free WiFi in these community centers sets the stage for our local digital gurus to emerge and make their mark for the advancement of community and country.”

Walters emphasised that this is an excellent platform that supports the efforts of young people to step up and create opportunities to monetize their talents and creativity.  

Initial start to the project

She recalled that two months ago when the initiative was launched, Akilah Byron-Nisbett, Minister with responsibility for ICTs, expressed the hope that business ideas and development would eventually evolve from this level of community access. 

At that time, the minister called for the transformation of these community centres into mini-innovation hubs that would spur the development of new technologies and the growth of business in general.  

As such, Walters asserted that public Wi-Fi, such as is now available with the deployment of this project, thus increasing the island’s digital inclusion.

It also helps to pave the way for those who are less advantaged to improve their skills, hone their talent and advance their education, making them more employable.   

Thereby, this would eventually lead to enhanced quality of life for themselves, their families and Kittian communities. Through partnerships such as this one, The Cable is enabling the transformation of the island into a modern, fully digital society, where citizens are always connected, from the time they leave home until they return.  

As the company looks to the future, The Cable anticipates other opportunities to leverage its island-wide internet infrastructure to provide 24/7, affordable and accessible internet to every citizen of St Kitts and Nevis.