Over the past few days, we have had three important announcements in the information technology sector.

Last Thursday, the government launched a number of initiatives, called HELLO IT, through which information and communication technologies will be available to one and all, “even those who have reached a certain age and believe they are too old to be computer-literate”, IT Minister Austin Gatt said.

On Saturday, the same minister announced that for the second time, Maltese students will be able to get a top-grade software package from Microsoft at a fraction of the price. The offer is open to all 70,000 students in Malta and their teachers, with people with a disability getting the package free.

Last Monday, the government signed another information and communication technology (ICT) partnership agreement with the software giant Oracle. The accord incorporates a number of initiatives that the company will be implementing in exchange for a prominent role in the development of Malta’s ICT strategy. Oracle has, among other things, committed itself to sponsor training programmes for IT tutors along with giving discounts of up to 90 per cent on a range of Oracle software used by educational institutions.

The three announcements are yet more proof of the weight the government is giving to the IT sector. No doubt, Minister Austin Gatt is leaving no stone unturned in the endeavour to keep Malta up-to-date with the continuous developments in a sector that is growing fast and changing rapidly too.

Over the past few years we have heard the word

“competitiveness” many times. But it can never be repeated enough that unless Malta strives to be more and more competitive in a globalised world, it will be hard for this little country of ours to maintain the standards to which we have been accustomed.

One factor which was mentioned by Minister Gatt carries a lot of relevance in today’s technological world. He said that in the past there was a distinction between those who could read and write and those who could not. Now there is what is known as the “digital divide”, the distinction between those who are computer-literate and those who are not.

We seem to have no problems with the younger generations, who are growing up in a world dominated by

computers, are receiving lessons at school and, in most cases, have a computer at home too. Many children today know how to use a computer better than their parents.

The difficulties arise in the older generations. People over 50 who did not have a computer in their younger days because, unfortunately, there was a time when the government thought their presence would lead to unemployment, find it harder to learn the mechanics of a computer. It is therefore good that the government’s intentions are to offer initiatives aimed at these people too.

Of course, the main efforts should be directed at those who are still in their early years and who will soon be entering the working world.

The investment made in educating youngsters in the world of computers will be reaped in the future.

Malta has already made great strides forward in this regard. But there is always something else that needs to be done. We should not rest on our laurels but continue to invest in education, while at the same time come up with initiatives that encourage more people to use the powerful tool that a computer has come to be in this day and age.

The three announcements made in the last few days are specifically aimed at this. As Minister Gatt said, the government will continue to work to make Malta a centre of excellence in information technology.

The only pity is that this ongoing drive has somewhat been hampered by the fact that an eco-contribution was introduced on IT equipment. To use opposition MP Leo Brincat’s words, an eco-taxation on IT equipment risks expanding the digital divide at a time when the government is aiming to reduce it.