September 26th, 2016

Trinidad & Tobago elected chair of the CTO Council and Executive Committee

London, 26 September 2016 – The Council of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), comprised of representatives of the Organisation’s Full Member Countries and ICT Sector Members, have elected Trinidad & Tobago as chair of the CTO Council and Executive Committee.

Members of the new Executive Committee are as follows:

  • Chair – Trinidad & Tobago
  • First Vice-Chair: Fiji
  • Second Vice-Chair: Tanzania
  • Immediate Past Chair: Nigerian
  • Industry Partners Representative: Telkom South Africa
  • Development Partners Representative: Cameroon
  • Chairperson of the CTO’s Programme for Development and Training: Vodafone Ghana
  • The Secretary-General of the CTO is an ex officio member of the ExCo.

    • “I am delighted that Trinidad & Tobago has been elected as Chair of the CTO,” said Mr Gilbert C Patterson, Chairman of TATT. “Trinidad & Tobago has long been an active member of the CTO and I look forward to assisting the Secretary-General and his staff in taking forward the objectives of the CTO’s Strategic Plan for the benefit of ICT development in the Commonwealth and beyond.”

    “The success of the recently concluded CTO Forum in Fiji demonstrates the active role the Pacific can play in the expansion of ICTs and their contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals,” said Mr Shivnesh Prasad, Director of Communications for the Fiji Ministry of Communications. “As First Vice-Chair of the Executive Committee we have the opportunity to ensure that the Pacific’s unique perspective can contribute to the direction of the CTO.”

    Council members received reports on the CTO’s activities for the previous year, and plans for the year to come. Noting the achievements the organisation has made during the past operational year, Council expressed support for the CTO Secretariat under the leadership of the Secretary-General, and committed to support the CTO to reach even greater heights.

    “We have an ambitious agenda ahead of us supporting our members in the development of their ICT sectors,” said CTO Secretary-General Shola Taylor. “Our mission is to provide result-focused ICT leadership in the Commonwealth and beyond, and with the support of the Council and under the guidance of the new Executive Committee, I am confident we can achieve this.”

    About the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation

    The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) is the oldest and largest Commonwealth intergovernmental organisation in the field of information and communication technologies. With a diverse membership spanning developed and least developed countries, small island developing states, and more recently also the private sector and civil society, the CTO aims to become a trusted partner for sustainable development for all through ICTs. More information about us here.