Definiciones Desarrollo

As expected, communications infrastructure has contrasting levels of development between Male and other islands. In Male, the communications infrastructure is highly developed with public having universal access to telephones, radio, television, and Internet. The situation is very different in the islands.

3.5.2.1 Radio

Radio is the most important medium of information, news and entertainment for the island population. Voice of Maldives (state owned radio station) covers the whole of Maldives and is the only media universally accessible to the whole population. Most of the island population listens to radio and hence radio is associated more with people who live in the islands. However, only 55% of island population have a radio at home with few variations between islands and atolls (United Nations Development Programme, 1 998).

Programmes are broadcast through two channels (bands), both of them through Voice of Maldives. Several non-formal, personal development programmes are broadcasted through radio, which are mainly conducted through various government departments. No formal education programmes are conducted through this medium.

3. 5.2. 2 Television

Television Maldives (TVM) is the only television station in the country. TVM is state-owned and only the capital and few nearby islands receive its broadcasts. Recently TVM has introduced satellite television using encoders, which reaches all parts of Maldives. However, the island population are unable to capitalise on this technology, as they need to purchase decoders to view the broadcasts. The rental for the decoders is too high for an average income owning person. All the atoll offices have satellite receivers and decoders and public have access to their premises to view television programmes on restricted times. Statistics also show that only 1 5% of the island population have a television at home (United Nations Development Programme, 1 998).

3.5.2.3 Telephone

Maldives has achieved universal access to telephone servtce on all the irlhabited islands in May 1 999 (Asian Development Bank, 200 1 ). However, all the islands do not have access to public telephone nor have telephone network for the households. In these cases, the public can use telephones in island offices. Telephones are available at all the government offices and schools in the islands.

Even where telecommunications infrastructure allows household connections, the cost limits access. Dhiraagu (the telecommunication provider in Maldives) controls the prices of telecommunications as it has exclusive rights to basic voice services in Maldives. The pricing scheme for inhabited islands is one of the lowest in the world (Asian Development Bank, 200 1). However, Dhiraagu categorises only 1 1 out of the 200 islands where people live as being inhabited islands. For the uninhabited islands categorised by Dhiraagu the monthly rentals are more than 1 1 0 percent of that of inhabited islands. The majority of the population cannot afford these high rates. Maldives is developing a project with funding from Asian Development Bank (ADB) to reform the telecommunication sector which involves reducing telecommunications prices to affordable levels. This project commenced during 2002 and is scheduled to be completed in 2006 (Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology, n.d. (b)). The major phase of the project which includes Installation and Commissioning of the government network and selected applications has been contracted to an international company and will be completed in 2006 (Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology, n.d. (b)).

3. 5.2.4 Internet

Internet was introduced in Maldives in 1 996 and has since been expanding at a rapid pace. The expansion in terms of usage can generally be seen only in the capital although the service has been extended to provide universal access in Maldives. In addition to the capital, cyber cafes for the public also exist in the southern most and northern most atolls. The number of cyber cafes is on the increase throughout the country as more and more people are using the Internet. In February 2002, a further cyber cafe has been established in Noonu atoll (an atoll between the capital and the

northern tip) as part of government's plan to introduce Internet into the islands (personal communication, 2002). Although access is available, high costs of installation and usage limits the number of users. Internet is charged by the minute and the charges are much higher than those in many developing countries (Asian Development Bank, 200 1 ).

3. 5.2.5 Planned Developments

Maldivian government has identified the potential of telecommunications and emphasis is put on rapid expansion of the telecommunications infrastructure. One of the major developments includes the National Telecommunications Master Plan which was formulated in the year 2000 (Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology, n.d. (c)). The Master Plan outlines how telecommunications and information technology will be used in improving economic as well as social infrastructure.

Another project, which was planned for 2002 is the Information Technology Development Proj ect funded by ADB (Asian Development Bank, 200 1 ). "The project includes (i) networking of government agencies and applications for delivery of public services, (ii) establishment of National Computer Centre (NCC), (iii) building of Internet kiosks in remote atolls, and (iv) provision of consulting services for implementation of telecommunications sector reforms" (Asian Development Bank, 200 1 ). The government network involves establishing a computer network connecting all the government ministries and parastatal organisations in Male via a fibre optic cable. In addition, the twenty outer atolls will also be networked relying on the carrier service offerings. The network will have the capacity to expand into individual islands

when necessary. The network will be primarily designed for data communications but will have the sophistication of accommodating future applications such as videoconferencing.

The project also involves establishment of National Computer Centre (NCC), which was planned to be responsible for coordinating all ICT policies, standards, and practices for government work (Asian Development Bank, 200 1 ). In addition, the mandate for NCC includes:

• "Develop and monitor the implementation of framework policies;

• support government in their development of ICT strategies;

• develop shared infrastructure and applications;

• promote common policies on the management of information including privacy;

• develop crosscutting services on the government network;

• develop extranet links with wider public sector; and

• coordinate action on skills for e-government" (Asian Development Bank, 200 1 :

1 0).

The National Computer Centre has been inaugurated under this project, and its main mission is to cooperate and coordinate with government agencies and private sector in formulating the information and communication policies of Maldives (Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology, n.d. (a)). Furthermore, a contract has been signed between CET Technologies Pte Ltd (CET) of Singapore and the centre to implement the government network of Maldives (Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology, n.d. (a)). The network implementation will be completed by

the end of 2006, and will provide remote access to schools, hospitals, government offices across the country.

Internet kiosks are also planned for atoll offices under the ADB project (Asian Development Bank, 200 1 ) but this phase of the project has not yet commenced. These kiosks will be connected to the government computer network allowing public to access the network. The project will provide facilities such as computers, modems, and appropriate accommodations to house the kiosks. In addition, the project includes a training component for the assistants who will staff each of the kiosks.

The project also includes a telecom sector reform component, which mainly focuses on restructuring the existing regulatory body. The existing regulatory body is one of the main obstacles for tariff restructuring for telecommunication services. The same component also involves tariff restructuring of Internet services so that the prices are affordable.

The project implementation commenced on 2002 and will be completed by the end of 2005. The first year mainly involves bidding and consulting services for the telecom sector reform and establishment of NCC and the government network. Starting from second year, the establishment of Internet kiosks was planned to commence which will be an ongoing process until the end of the project.

3. 5.2. 6 Computers in Educational Institutions

Ministry of Education started a Basic Computer Literacy Project aiming at providing computer literacy for all the students who complete primary education during year

2000 (Ministry of Education, 200 1 ). This ongoing project aims at making all the primary school leavers competent in using basic computer facilities and programs. In order to achieve this goal, the Ministry of Education installed computer laboratories with multimedia computers in each of the primary schools in the country. In essence, this means that every island in the country would have a computer laboratory. The aim of the ministry was to have at least one computer for every sixty students enrolled in the school. However, this ratio was smaller overall as there were a number of schools with a very low number of enrolments. Table 3.3 shows the number of computers available in the schools when the project began. Official statistics of the current situation has not been released as yet.

Table 3.3: Student enrolments in atoll schools and number of computers used for teaching in 2003

School Atoll Enrolments in No. of

Ha. Atoll School Ha. Hoarafushi 974 1 0

HDh. AEC HDh. Kulhudhuffushi 1 989 1 6

JalaaludhinSchool HDh. Kulhudhuffushi 865 1 8

Sh. Atoll School Sh. Kanditheem 508 1 0

Sh. Atoll Education Centre Sh. Komandoo 879 1 3

Maakandoodhoo School Sh. 11aakandoodhoo 479 1 0

N . Atoll Education Centre N. Velidhoo 7 8 1 1 6

Baa. Atoll Education Centre Baa. Edhafushi 1 1 94 1 6

Lh. Atoll Education Centre Lh. Hinnavaru 1 226 1 0

Mad. Ifthithah Lh. Naifaru 1 326 1 4

ADh. AEC ADh. 11ahibadhoo 771 1 6

Gdh. Atoll Education Centre Gdh. Thinadhoo 2278 1 3

Gn. Atoll Education Centre Gn. Fuvahmulaku 1 738 1 1

Muhibbudin School S. Hithadhoo 1 1 24 1 6

Seen. Atoll School S. Hulhudhoo Meedhoo 597 1 7

(Source: Basic Computer Literacy Project - Ministry of Education, M a/dives)