One of the foremost computer hackers in the world, turned security consultant, will be in Antigua and Barbuda next week as the country plays host to regional leaders and ICT professionals for a summit and symposium on e-governance.
The Antigua and Barbuda government is organising the January 16 to 19 event in collaboration with the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) and the Caribbean Centre for Development Administration. Melford Nicholas, the information minister, confirmed on Friday that Kevin Mitnick is scheduled to be part of the event.
The leaders’ summit is scheduled for January 16 while a three-day symposium for industry professionals and officials opens the following day. Mitnick achieved international notoriety during the 1990s and was jailed for five years for computer-related crimes. Since his release in 2000, he’s built a career as an ethical hacker, working as a security consultant for companies around the world. Meanwhile, Estonia’s former foreign affairs minister, Rein Lang, and Georgia’s justice minister Thea Tsulukiani have also been confirmed as two of the headliners at the summit. Lang, who is credited with playing a key role in Estonia’s e-government transformation, and Tsulukiani will share their insights on how their countries successfully leveraged ICT to transform their government processes.
A number of regional leaders have accepted the invitation to attend the summit. ICT and Public administration ministers along with their permanent secretaries and technocrats, ICT network operators and regulators, international development agencies and the business community will attend the symposium. According to the CTU, a 21st century government is one that makes effective use of ICT to deliver services to its citizens, and internal and external clients.
“It is characterised by citizen-centric, seamless, open, interactive, efficient and transparent processes. The establishment of 21st Century Government seeks to transform the public service, strengthen economic competitiveness, and promote sustainable development,” the organisation said. The CTU is an inter-governmental organisation formed in 1989 by CARICOM heads with the aim of supporting the development of the region’s ICT sector.
Source: The Daily Observer
