Malta's 'important' IT role

Despite its size Malta is one of the most active members in the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and can make a meaningful contribution to the evolution of the information society worldwide through its involvement in the union and the European and Commonwealth preparation for the upcoming ITU conference, Malcolm Johnson, the ITU representative of the United Kingdom, said yesterday.

Speaking after a European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) meeting here, Mr Johnshon highlighted the importance and relevance of Malta's involvement in the preparations for the ITU 2006 plenipotentiary conference.

Malta's role, he said, is particularly important in the drawing up of the European Common Proposals to be submitted to the conference and for their eventual integration into the ITU's constitution and convention.

Competitiveness and Communications Minister Censu Galea addressed delegates at the CEPT meeting. The meeting is part of a series of discussions aimed at formulating common European proposals which will then be submitted to the ITU plenipotentiary conference.

Mr Galea said information and communications technologies should serve as tools in achieving technological progress.

"This should be attained at all social levels thus ensuring that through communicating, peoples of different nations get closer. Governments, social partners and the private sector are all key players working jointly to achieve such an environment.

"This is happening in Malta too. As members of a European single market encompassing over 450 million citizens, we have to play a leading role in the provision of such services.

"This enhances our competitiveness as a nation while ensuring that domestic consumers are provided with the best quality of service and competitive tariffs," Mr Galea said.