POND ISLAND, Sint Maarten – The United Nations (UN) General Assembly in 1972 established World Development Information Day (WDID) to draw the attention of the world to development problems and the need to strengthen international cooperation to solve them (resolution 3038 (XXVII)), according to the UN.
“The Assembly decided that the date for the Day should coincide with United Nations Day, 24 October, which was also the date of the adoption, in 1970, of the International Development Strategy for the Second United Nations Development Decade.
“The Assembly deemed that improving the dissemination of information and the mobilization of public opinion, particularly among young people, would lead to greater awareness of the problems of development, thus, promoting efforts in the sphere of international cooperation for development.”
“This past Wednesday marked World Development Information Day. Information technology today is what makes the world go around. We are living in exciting times as digitalization continues to transform our way of work and how we live.
“Digital technologies are shaping the world beyond our shores. Therefore, we also have to look at where we are going and how we can utilize this technology to benefit the country in its socio-economic development.
“The digital era that we live into today offers many opportunities and we must make full use of them. We need to harness all capabilities across the board where socio-economic development is concerned especially in this post-Irma era.
“Technology continues to evolve in this digital age and our country is making use of the technology. Digital kiosks and e-Gate service at the Princess Juliana International Airport and the introduction of the Port Community System in 2019, forms part of how Sint Maarten is already doing as it prepares to lead the Caribbean in digital innovation in the hospitality industry which are all key to the economic revitalization of our national economy.
“We have the ability to make our country better than before during the building back better reconstruction phase by working together and transforming our destination into the beautiful gem of the Caribbean it once was.
“Let’s keep the focus on rebuilding an amazing and sustainable resilient Sint Maarten,” Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Stuart Johnson said on Thursday.
