00:00The La Brea ICT Access Center was officially launched and operationalized today.
00:06According to the Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry, this is not just access to computers and Wi-Fi.
00:13For this government, access means opening the doors to opportunity, equipping our people with skills,
00:20and ensuring that communities have the tools and technology they need to succeed.
00:24That is precisely why we are gathered here this morning.
00:27We are not simply opening the doors to a building.
00:31We are opening the doors to possibility, to digital empowerment,
00:35and to a future where every community has a chance to thrive.
00:39Pat Uram spoke in the absence of Minister Dominic Smith,
00:43who could not make it to the opening due to matters of national importance.
00:47It represents freedom to learn, to innovate, to connect, and to transform lives.
00:53It is the freedom for a student to complete an online course and become the first in her family to earn a degree.
01:01Freedom for a young entrepreneur to establish his first business in the digital space.
01:07And freedom for a grandparent to access essential government services without standing in long queues under the hot sun.
01:16Access, Pat Uram says, is a gateway to inclusion, empowerment, and national progress.
01:22Digital access is no longer a luxury that only a few can afford.
01:28With the world moving at a rapid technological pace, digital access has become a lifeline.
01:35At the Ministry of Public Administration and Artificial Intelligence,
01:39we are committed to ensuring that every citizen, whether you are from Port of Spain, San Fernando,
01:45La Brea, Palo Seco, Toco, or Tobago, can engage in the digital age with confidence and ease.
01:51Some 20 similar hubs in other rural communities, the PS says, has allowed her ministry to witness the bridging of divides
02:00and the bringing of people closer together.
02:03It means that a young person with a dream no longer has to leave their hometown in search of opportunity.
02:10It means that a mother can acquire new skills and re-enter the workforce with confidence.
02:15It means that a retiree can remain connected with loved ones, manage personal affairs, and continue to play an active role in civic life.
02:24Educators, community leaders, and local organizations all have a role to fulfill.
02:30I encourage you to partner with us.
02:33Bring your programs, your workshops, your mentorship to ensure that this center remains part of La Brea's development.
02:40The ministry says ICT hubs like this one will continue to drive digital inclusion across Trinidad and Tobago.
02:50So, let's go.
03:00Thanks, everybody.
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