Now in its second phase of implementation (since the beginning of 2011), HIPCAR is offering technical cooperation assistance to countries to help them transpose the regional model policy guidelines and model legislative texts into national legislative frameworks. So far, the following nine HIPCAR beneficiary countries   have requested direct in-country assistance: Dominican Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, with more countries having expressed interest in assistance.

Countries throughout the Caribbean are at different stages of legislative development. The HIPCAR model texts therefore need to be customized in each case, and the transposition process adapted to local circumstances. Harmonization nevertheless remains an essential goal of this process.

In order to address the limited human and technical resources throughout the region, capacity building is also an essential part of the HIPCAR project. Consultation and training workshops are designed to allow broad-based multi-stakeholder involvement at country level. The training aims at raising awareness of the updated legal framework in order to foster an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of those involved in implementing the legislation.

To date, consultations and capacity building workshops have been conducted in four countries — and more are planned. So far, information society topics covered in the second phase of HIPCAR include e-commerce (transactions) in Trinidad and Tobago, and e-commerce (evidence), interception of communications and cybercrime both in Barbados and in Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Assistance to Saint Lucia has covered interception of communications, access to public information (freedom of information), and telecommunication matters related to universal access and service, interconnection and access, and licensing. Chief Public Utilities Officer in the Ministry of Communications and Works, Barrymore Felicien, explains “We are trying to work into our legislation the modern practices taking place so that we in Saint Lucia would be better prepared to face the technological challenges facing us.”