More St Elizabeth communities benefiting from free Wi-Fi

Holland Village and Tryall are the most recent communities in St Elizabeth to benefit from the Universal Service Fund's ConnectJa Programme, which provides reliable and accessible Internet connectivity free of cost to residents.

With the support of Franklin Witter, Member of Parliament for St Elizabeth South Eastern and Minister of State in the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, as well as JC Hutchinson, Minister of State in the Ministry of Transport and Mining , who is also the Member of Parliament for St Elizabeth North Western, the fund was able to successfully reiterate the Government's commitment to ensuring that every Jamaican has access to high-quality Internet services, regardless of their location or socio-economic status.

During his remarks at the launch ceremony in Tryall on March 30, Witter emphasised the importance of the Internet connectivity and its role in communication, which he explained was a well needed service.

“The Universal Service is doing a great job, as one of the most important things we can have is access the Internet. We now live in an information age where you can do things from your community, simply because of the connectivity,” said Witter.

Meanwhile at the launch ceremony in Holland Village, Councillor George Powell, who represented Hutchinson, expressed satisfaction with the project's success, as he explained to community members the importance of access to education and the Internet's ability to help them attain higher education. 

“While I may be old school and still using a one finger to manoeuvre the Internet, but even if you were to sit under a tree, you can get on your phone or device and log on and complete degrees. That's how amazing access to the Internet is and we should not sit idly by. The best part is that the access is free, which means even the children get to enjoy it to as it helps them to do their homework and research,” he said.

The launch of community Wi-Fi in Tryall and Holland Village is a significant step towards providing Internet access to residents who previously had limited or no connectivity.

The project was made possible through the efforts of the Universal Service Fund (USF), who partnered with local stakeholders to identify the most effective way to bring Internet services to underserved areas, reiterating its commitment to bridging the digital divide and providing equal opportunities for all Jamaicans to access the benefits of the Internet.

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