'Senri no michi mo ippo kara - A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step'.

It is truly an honour to address the 2025 edition of the innovative and forward-thinking Tech Hub Islands Summit, hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce of Trinidad and Tobago.

Let me begin by extending my heartfelt gratitude to AMCHAM T&T and all involved in organising this summit. Your leadership in keeping technology and its ever-evolving platforms at the forefront of regional discussion is both commendable and very necessary at this time. I applaud your vision in positioning the Caribbean—notably Trinidad and Tobago—as a future-ready global tech hub.

This year’s theme, “Engage. Execute. Evolve.”, resonates deeply with me. These three powerful words represent a bold call to action—one that rejects passivity. As island nations, we cannot afford to stand still or operate in isolation. Sustainable development certainly requires active participation, and permit me to emphasise active participation, purposeful execution is important and continuous adaptation, especially in the face of accelerating digital change, that the world has never seen.

Transformation is not passive. It demands courage, collaboration and a commitment to ongoing evolution. And in today’s digital age, nothing less will suffice.

Today, I speak to you not only as the newly appointed Minister of Public Administration and Artificial Intelligence (MPAAI), but as the representative appointed by the Government to oversee the initiatives to ensure dedication to real, impactful and lasting transformation in the Public Service treated with the urgency it deserves.

A New Ministry for a New Era

The creation of the Ministry of Public Administration and Artificial Intelligence marks a strategic, forward-thinking step. It recognises that technology, data and AI are not mere conveniences—they are essential drivers of inclusive development, economic opportunity and modern, responsive governance.

MPAAI operates at the intersection of innovation and public service. Our mandate is clear: to modernise the public sector, spearhead digital transformation across all Government and integrate emerging technologies—particularly AI—into our National Development Agenda.
My mission is bold yet simple: Trinidad and Tobago must not only participate in the global digital economy—we must lead.

A Digitally Empowered Nation: Our Four Priorities
To realise this vision, we have outlined four strategic priorities, which I will outline as follows:

1. Modernising the Public Service
At the heart of digital transformation is a modern, efficient, citizen-centric Public Service. For too long, our citizens have struggled with bureaucracy, inefficiencies and fragmented systems. It is time for change and you would have noted that our Honourable Prime Minister has taken a clustered approach to handling Government affairs.

Modernising the Public Service means:
• Digitising records and streamlining Government processes
• Introducing secure digital identity systems
• Ensuring that every digital solution puts the citizen first

Through expanded e-Government platforms, services like birth certificate issuance and business registration will be available online—accessible, efficient and user-friendly.

2. Building a Resilient Digital Government Infrastructure
Modern services require modern infrastructure. That is why we are investing in:
• Nationwide broadband connectivity
• Secure cloud-based platforms
• Open data frameworks
• Safe and resilient systems

Our goal is a connected, interoperable Government—where agencies can collaborate, data flows securely and real-time decisions improve service delivery. Just as importantly, we must ensure digital inclusion, especially among marginalised and underserved communities.

3. Fostering Innovation Through Artificial Intelligence
The core of MPAAI’s mission is the responsible and inclusive adoption of AI.
AI holds enormous potential—from predictive healthcare analytics to intelligent traffic systems. But we must proceed wisely, prudent and mindful of the risks: privacy, security, ethics and job displacement.

Our approach is clear: AI should augment, not replace, human capability. It should enable Public Servants to focus on high-value, people-centred work.

We will support AI innovation hubs and incubators, nurturing home-grown solutions tailored to our unique Caribbean realities and nuances.

4. Strengthening Public-Private Collaboration
No Government can do this alone.

In a world defined by digital divides, cybersecurity threats and climate vulnerability, collaboration is essential. As island nations, we are united by common challenges and shared aspirations. MPAAI is committed to fostering strong partnerships—nationally, regionally and globally.

The private sector is a key partner. Your innovation, agility and technical expertise complement our public mission. Together, we can:

• Co-create digital policies and standards
• Partner on Research & Development and innovation labs
• Develop workforce training initiatives
• Open Government data to fuel entrepreneurship

This very Summit and AMCHAM T&T’s broader leadership, demonstrates what is possible when we collaborate with purpose and intention.

As I close, let me leave you with one final thought: speed matters.

For small island nations, speed means more than progress—it means survival and diversification. We must catch up, stay ahead and build systems that are both resilient and scalable to our unique needs.

Standing still is not an option anymore.

I look forward to working with all of you to build a digitally empowered, inclusive and prosperous Trinidad and Tobago. Thank you for your commitment, and I wish you all a successful and impactful Tech Summit.

Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you.