Residents of Western Park in Clarendon now have free internet access courtesy of the Universal Service Fund (USF).
The Wi-Fi service was rolled out to the community on Friday (September 16) by USF’s Chief Executive Officer, Daniel Dawes.
He urged residents to make the most of the facility, noting that their facility is part of the government’s effort to provide better Internet access for Jamaicans.
“Anyone who comes into this room if they want to use the internet for school purposes, want to make a banking transaction, pay their electric bill, pay their water bill, any activity that requires using the internet, you can come straight here come and it won’t cost you a dollar,” he said.
Mr Dawes urged residents to protect the facility. “There are hundreds of districts across the country that would have wanted (the service). Please, residents of Western Park Clarendon, do not allow anyone to rob our children. Remember, they are the future of this country,” he said.
May Pen Mayor Winston Maragh said in his remarks the provision of the access point to the community is in line with the country’s national development plan.
“That’s very good, and the USF has created access points across the country that our people can benefit from. I want to thank the government of Jamaica,” he said.
Denbigh Division Councilman Joel Williams thanked the USF for establishing the facility, noting that hundreds of residents will use the service.
“We want this facility to be used as a tool to promote educational development. We want it for the youngsters who live in households without an internet connection,” he said.
Parishioner Pastor Norman Gentles said the provision of free Wi-Fi service was “a big step in our church”.
“It will help us build our community. I encourage people to use it to improve their lives,” he urged.
People can connect to WiFi within 300 feet of the access point. The facility can accommodate up to 200 people at a time.
The USF, an agency of the Department of Science, Energy and Technology, has a mandate to provide internet connectivity and increase the use of information community technology (ICT) devices across the country.
-JIS NEWS-
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