Joseph Stiglitz – winner of Nobel Prize in Economics in 2001, wrote in Globalization and its discontents. ‘Globalization today is not working. It is not working for many of the world’s poor. It is not working for much of the environment. It is not working for the stability of the global economy. While I was at the World Bank, I saw first hand the devastating effect that globalization can have on developing countries, and especially the poor within those countries. I believe that globalization - the removal of barriers to free trade and the closer integration of national economies – can be a force for good and that it has the potential to enrich everyone in the world, particularly the poor. But I also believe that if this is to be the case, the way globalization has been managed, including the international trade agreements that have played such a large role in removing those barriers and the policies that have been imposed on developing countries in the process of globalization, need to be radically rethought.. It is the trade unionists, students, environmentalists and ordinary citizens, marching in the streets of Prague, Seattle, Washington and Genoa who have put the need for reform on the agenda of the developed world’

Sir Peter Bonfield from BT and Gerald Taylor from MCI made the leader statement in their joint BT/MCI Global Communications Report in 1996/97. The report highlighted ‘The 21st century will be defined by the quality of its communications. Vast bandwidth, new technology, convergence, deregulation, new services, mobility and reduced cost will all contribute to the development of the Information Society. Our Responsibility along with the other leading telecoms providers, is to ensure that the integrity and customer focus of the communications industry is not lost in the explosive growth of the coming decades. Underpinning this growth is a strong conviction by the world’s leading business people that communications will play a lead role in the enablement of global expansion, ahead even of raw materials and capital costs. Not surprisingly, global business considers political stability and a skilled workforce as absolute priorities for success. Wherever these fundamental conditions for global expansion exist, however, our role must be to ensure that an efficient, cost effective communications infrastructure is available to support it’

ITU’s Connect The World Initiative is to help the world to communicate. Connect the World aims to identify needs, build synergies, forge relationships and reach out to underserved communities around the world. Connect the world is an innovative multi stakeholder platform that leverages the benefits of ICT and the power of partnership, to bridge the digital divide. Designed to showcase, consolidate and scale up existing activities and stimulate industry wide cooperation. Its aim is to accelerate ICT development efforts worldwide. The problem is one billion people are still unconnected. The challenge is to connect an estimated 800,000 rural and remote villages worldwide that still lack access to basic phone services.

It costs nothing to become a partner. Nothing except each partner makes the commitment at the highest level to implement concrete initiatives, aimed at achieving the goal of connecting all communities by 2015. Connect the world provides all partners with a high profile platform to promote their existing development efforts, cultivate new projects, and share hands-on experience and best practice. By harnessing the complementary skills of private companies, governments, UN agencies and civil society, Connect the world is forging new approach to development that recognizes the key role played by all stakeholders in helping the world communicate.

Nicholas Negroponte – Chairman and co-founder of OLPC from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, predicting the future of science and technology explained ‘Internet connectivity is being addressed in a dozen different ways, including WiFi, WiMAX, 3G, Satellite, Fibre, Coaxial and Copper wire. Competition, deregulation and the fact that the developing world is now the only new telecommunications market, will contribute to wider reach, greater bandwidth and lower costs for connectivity. What is needed is a $100 durable laptop – a versatile machine at a price the developing world can afford’

To develop rapid and cost- efficient broadband wireless access networks to connect remote urban and rural sites, the internet service provider’s focus must be on the deployment of new wave technologies such as Wi Fi and WiMax. Using broadband wireless networks no longer require expensive PTT lease lines to connect SMEs, Universities, Hospitals, Government departments and remote R&D facilities. Line of sight Wi Fi and Wi Max infrastructure can be deployed rapidly anywhere, any place. Ready- packed system kits in emergency can be deployed not in days, but in hours. The SMART mobile technologies are for specific, measured, achievable, realistic and on time project implementation. These new emerging technologies are at the forefront of ITU’s ‘Connect The World’ initiative.

GPL is an expanding UK company working with several leading suppliers of digital video streaming and IPTV solutions to deliver professional end-to-end systems for many applications including internet TV, mobile TV, IPTV and broadcast services. We focus on meeting customers' system requirements, providing a full package of technical and commercial support with the best available products. Our customers range in size and application and our strength is our flexibility to match the right technology for client needs.

In association with A-Comms we are talking to South East Essex College and University of Essex to provide digital video stream ing system for Distance Learning. For further information please visit:> www.gpl-uk.co.uk or contact us on +44-1455 221188

Southend Business & Tourism Partnership came into being in August in 1996. It disusses topical issues relating to the local area that affect local businesses and the local economy.The Partnership consists of more than 200 members of the business community and representative organisations that share a common interest in the economic development of the borough. The partnership is currently chaired by Murrey Foster. Murray also has 35 years of wide ranging specialist experience in management within the banking industry.

The Partnership meets every two months, with an Executive Committee meeting in between, to discuss and decide on dirction and f ocus for the Partnership. The Partnership has identified key priorities for action on a range of issues that it feels will have a direct impact on the prosperity of the area,such as crime, image, transportation, educational attainment, workforce skills and development of key sites.

The Partnership, with funding and sponsorship from Business Link East and private sector sponsors, has hosted a number of informational business events for SMEs operating within the Borough. The events are proving to be very successful and are helping local businesses to maximise their potential. Recent themes have included Profiting from Environmental issues,and most recently 'Exploring New Business Opportunities' which included a presentation from the General Manager of DP World London Gateway on their plans for the former Shell Haven Oil refinery site.