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ST. ANDREW, Jamaica (Thursday, February 17, 2022) — As the government continues to roll out free, secured Wi-Fi hotspots in communities, across the island, citizens are being urged to make use of the service to transform their lives.
Member of Parliament for St. Andrew East Rural, Juliet Holness, made the call, while addressing the recent launch of the Woodford Wi-Fi hotspot in her constituency.
The hotspot program, being undertaken by the Universal Service Fund (USF), aims to bridge the digital gap, particularly for individuals in deep rural areas, who are unable to obtain Internet service.
Holness noted that persons can use the service to access educational resources.
Member of Parliament for St. Andrew East Rural, Juliet Holness, addresses the recent launch of a free secured Wi-Fi hotspot in the community of Woodford, which was installed by the Universal Service Fund (USF). Photo contributed.
“The Internet can literally transform us, as human beings, because the world of knowledge is now accessible to us,” she pointed out.
The Member of Parliament also urged residents, as they use the Internet to conduct business, to ensure that their personal details, including banking information, are “under password lock and key”.
She noted that there are persons, who are using the Internet to carry out illegal activities.
“All of your private stuff, everything that you don’t want anybody else to have, put it under a strong password lock,” she stressed.
Chief Executive Officer of the USF, Daniel Dawes, in his address, told the residents that they have a duty to ensure that the facility lasts, so that it can serve their needs for a long time.
Teacher at the Woodford Primary School, Christine Tapper, welcomed the free Wi-Fi service, which will benefit students, as a demonstration of commitment by the government to build excellence in the community through education.
“We believe that this will further prepare our citizens to become more knowledgeable human beings,” she said.
President of the Woodford Community Development Council, Cedric Pascoe, called on the residents to play their part in protecting the facility.
The USF is an agency of the Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology.
