Fujitsu/TSTT ramps up, move Govt mouse

Newsday, Thursday, August 7 2008

The technology for facilitating the delivery of government and consumer transactions over a secure and efficient island-wide network was brought one step closer with completion of a multi-million dollar government contract awarded jointly to Fujitsu Transaction Solutions (Trinidad) and Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT).

The contract is for Fujitsu and TSTT to embed state-of-the art data management tools on an ultra high-speed communications network serving ministries and state agencies and facilitating unprecedented public access to online government services. The network will be built on leading edge technology supplied and supported by a consortium led by TSTT and Fujitsu.

“On completion, the consortium would have built ‘GOVNETT’, as it is being called, to be the largest data network in Trinidad and Tobago, surpassing systems used in major corporations in its sophistication and functionality,” said TSTT CEO Roberto Peón.

Mervyn Eyre, CEO of Fujitsu (Caribbean) noted that the technology being employed by both companies would give the Government the flexibility to scale and expand as the need arises. “This is an IP-based network, similar to what supports the world wide web. That technology is so universally used that it has been called ‘future-proof’ and is versatile enough to avoid becoming obsolete.

“This is a very significant initiative which in addition to giving the public easier access to government services, it will also enable more direct communication with agencies and in so doing make these institutions more accountable,” said Arlene McComie, permanent secretary, Ministry of Public Administration.

This second phase of the project will add almost 500 metro-ethernet links or ultra-modern Internet Protocol (IP) based high-speed data communications circuits for use by government ministries and entities throughout TT.

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