(CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown) Mr. Edwin Carrington, Secretary-General of CARICOM, last week paid a visit to the Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd, in Shanghai, China. The Secretary-General got a first-hand look at the various areas of technological development in which the company is involved, including mobile and fixed broadband network operations, as well as its focus on `green strategies’ to save energy and reduce emissions.

Huawei, which holds a leading global position in the provision of next generation telecommunications networks, has a presence in Caribbean countries such as Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Suriname, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands, and is currently working on a project in Guyana, the company said. The company partners with telecommunications companies including Digicel and Lime.

After listening to a presentation on Huawei’s development, Mr. Carrington said he was impressed with its outreach and the strides it had made worldwide. It was quite clear, he said, that Huawei was playing a central role in development in the Region. The Secretary-General alluded to the efforts currently being made by institutions including the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the Caribbean Knowledge and Learning Network (CKLN) to promote advancement through information and communications technologies.

The Secretary-General’s visit to the company coincided with his visit to Shanghai for the 17 July CARICOM National Honour Day celebrations at Expo 2010.