A Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) delegation attended the recently held 35th Annual Caribbean Association of National Telecommunications Organisations (CANTO) Conference and Trade Exhibition, in Trinidad.
“GTT appreciates that it connects its customers to the wider Caribbean region and the world – and that as a telecommunication provider, it has responsibility at an individual and collective level to help propel our people closer towards the benefits that can be derived from digital transformation,” GTT CEO Justin Nedd was quoted as saying in a statement released by the company yesterday. Nedd, who has been appointed a CANTO Board Director for the period 2019-2020, also said that forums such as those hosted by CANTO provide the space for providers and other key stakeholders to “collaborate, co-ordinate, disrupt where necessary and harmonise where possible” the regulatory structures in the Caribbean and Latin America.
Nedd added that GTT team members who attended the conference, had the opportunity to engage in strategic industry discussions via sessions on Caribbean digital literacy, cyber security and data protection. He called it an “important” opportunity as the company seeks to develop its people, the clients they serve and the country as whole.
GTT’s delegation comprised representatives from its Operations, Legal and Commercial departments.
According to the statement, Farah Samad, GTT Team Lead of Recharge and Distribution, lauded the event as an impactful networking and professional developmental tool. “This being my first CANTO Conference, I was not sure what to expect. However, it certainly did not disappoint. The extensive panel discussions by various countries were very informative and expanded my understanding of how extensive the telecommunication industry is and what our counterparts are doing within their markets. I took ample notes on best practices,” she said.
“Caribbean residents, it was stated, may reside in small countries, but they expect ‘the best the world has to offer – best service, lowest price – so they can compete in the global market’. Being well represented at CANTO’s Annual Conference ensures that continued technological evolution is forthcoming as propelled by GTT,” Samad was quoted as saying.
Ian La Fargue, a GTT Senior Engineer and another member of the delegation, said CANTO continues to provide a platform for networking with colleagues in the region, meeting with equipment vendors and being part of the discussion on key topics affecting communications in the region.
The statement noted that the CANTO Conference, which ran from July 21st to July 26th at the Hyatt Regency in Port of Spain, attracted participants from the Caribbean, Latin America and the United States of America representing government, telecommunications operators and regulators, the private sector, academia and others. CANTO deemed the conference, held under the theme ‘Transitioning to a Digital Region – Opportunities and Challenges’, a success, while saying that it delivered a packed programme that was relevant and varied in its scope, allowing members of society as well as young gamers and animators to equally voice their opinions on the digital future of the Caribbean and Latin America.
