Daniel Calarco, One Global Economy’s director for international programs, and Colin Richardson, program manager for mapping initiatives, are here on the island to educate the public on the importance of broadband.
Calarco and Richardson met members of the community during the town hall meeting at the multi-purpose center Tuesday.
The Fitial administration awarded a $1 million sole-source contract to the U.S-based group for a project funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and facilitated by former Commerce Secretary Mike Ada’s Integrated Professional Solutions.
In an interview yesterday, Calarco said broadband may not be as necessary as baby formula but it is a technology that improves people’s lives.
“If you are able to go on the internet and get access to broadband you can find all things like how to apply for a job, how to write a résumé and you can do them online. That is really how you can improve your situation so we should see technology as a means to an end,” he said.
Broadband, he added, can provide people on island better access online if they want to learn more about anything.
The Northern Marianas, Calarco said, “is pretty much underserved in a lot of ways.”
Calarco said part of the project is to hear from the people themselves which areas here do and do not have broadband capability.
“What is preventing people from taking a broadband? Is it too expensive? Is it just that they don’t have computer? Is the problem in electricity? Or maybe they just don’t see the point in having it?” Calarco asked.
Understanding the answers to these questions, he said, will help them create a plan for the CNMI.
