Curaçao as a Smart Nation

Smart technologies …smart cities … smart nations …these seem to be the top buzz words on everyone’s mind. And indeed, they promise to be part of the next global trend. But what exactly do these terms mean? To be frank, a common defnition has yet to emerge, and that’s probably fueling its momentum even
further. Creative entrepreneurs are seizing the opportunity to mold the definition of smart technology to suit their own pioneering spirit. And that’s precisely what makes it so exciting – there are no limits to what you can do with smart technology. There are no rules and guidelines as to what is required. As a budding entrepreneur, the sky is your limit!
But to sum it up as best one can, smart technologies are the utilization of Information
and Communication Technology, (ICT), and ‘The Internet of Things’, (IoT), in order to
integrate them into ‘smart’ applications that can serve to facilitate any number of problems, tasks or business opportunities. By extension, these smart technologies can be
used in the management of a city’s infrastructure and services thereby increasing
effciency and productivity, and in many cases, minimizing its carbon footprint. As
one’s imagination continues to grow, we can even explore the concept of an entire smart
nation, wherein not only are the infrastructure, facilities and services driven by smart
technology, but also the nation’s economy is partially driven by the business opportunities
created through the use of smart technology.
Picture a smart application installed in your refrigerator. With the aid of wireless sensors,
connected to your smartphone via the internet, your refrigerator can tell you when you need to pick up milk or bread at the store, or better still, order it for you online. This saves you both time and money and reduces energy consumption by saving you several trips to the supermarket. Or what about the installation of home energy-management systems that help owners conserve and lower costs, and have the potential to tremendously reduce the impact on our environment? We have also seen smart technology that aids with rainwater capture and reuse, to reduce demand and
mitigate floods. When sensors are applied to cities, the concept could have potentially profound impacts on the way traffc congestion, air quality, street lighting and other systems are managed, (e.g. the use of public Wi-Fi, tracking devices and analytics to evaluate the biking patterns of families). This data would provide valuable information for infrastructure planning in the creation of a smart city.

To look a step further, the implementation of smart technologies has gone beyond the
borders of a singular city and impacted entire populations. For some countries, smart
technology has enabled remote communities to receive care and services that would
otherwise be inaccessible. Examples of such applications are: the new concept of telemedicine that extends medical care to even the poorest urban communities; mobile money, already popular in many parts of Africa, makes it easier for people without bank
accounts or credit to make purchases with their cellphones; and birth certificates issued
via mobile phones that ensure that children born in informal settlements have access to
public services and are guaranteed full rights as citizens.
Global companies have also been created through the utilization of smart technology, a
few notable examples are Uber, Paypal, and Ali Baba. With virtual worldwide operations,
these companies are extremely cost effective, carrying no inventory, and having no need
for large expensive office buildings and warehouses thereby reducing their impact on the
environment.

“Success in the digital future will depend on Curacao’s ability to implement innovation.”

Looking Beyond Our Limitations
Herein lies the vision of our Minister of Economic Affairs, Steven Martina. Faced with the many challenges of creating a thriving economy for a small Caribbean island, after encountering many years of economic stagnation or decline. Traditional opportunities for stimulating economic growth are somewhat limited when taking into consideration factors such as the island’s small GDP, the size of its population, its limited natural resources, and its geography.
Opportunities for export in this highly competitive and mass-produced world are indeed
a great challenge, and traditionally our location and size severely limited our potential
market for the exportation of goods and services. But the miracle of the internet has eliminated these boundaries, especially in terms of smart technology. “Our past limitations are now irrelevant,” as Martina states. Offering information, connectivity or a particular service through a digital application bears no geographical or economic limitations. The same application can be both executed and utilized successfully in the most remote of locations, provided there is internet access. But Minister Martina envisions this a step further. These very same restraints can be utilized as assets. Because we are a small island nation, with a small economy that is located in a region of limited economic
growth, this gives us an insight into potential markets and application ideas that would
be perfectly suited to other nations under similar circumstances, either within the
Caribbean region or elsewhere. As Martina notes, “[Developing Curaçao as a smart
nation], will have an impact on our economy by creating opportunities for us to export.”
With many of the technological and infrastructural building blocks already in place,
we have a competitive advantage in this potential niche market: and stepping out as a
regional leader in this burgeoning industry is the only way to go.

Curaçao as a Pioneer in Technology Based Applications
Becoming a pioneer in technology-based applications, offered not only to local customers in Curaçao but also throughout the region, will place us ahead of the pack, as a front-runner in technology-based businesses that offer enhanced quality, effciency, performance and interactivity, with a reduction in costs and resource consumption, thereby creating a greater movement towards ecologically sound business practices.
In a recent luncheon hosted by Junior Chamber International United Citizens of
Curaçao, (JCI UC) together with JCI Creative Leaders in Curaçao, (JCI CLIC), Mr.
Martina presented the topic of, “Curaçao as a Smart Nation – What Can We Expect?” He
acknowledged that Curaçao is already on its way to becoming a smart nation with digital
applications, either already in place, or in the pipelines:
• A disaster management act that enables rapid communication to the entire population or to specifcally targeted communities.
• Automatic meter-reading installation at Aqualectra.
• Digital pre-clearance of visitors through immigration either via the internet or electronically at the airport.
• Smart passes for public transportation.
• Online services for taxpayers.
• and much more…
He also highlighted a number of local companies that have developed successful business models based on ingenious applications that utilize smart technology and have tapped
into this vast market potential by exporting their services internationally.
Core Traits for a Smart Curaçao. But Martina envisions a nation that is far
more integrated into the smart technologies arena. Opening the minds of his audience to
begin to conceptualize a true smart nation, he explained the core traits that he feels are
necessary for creating a “Smart Curaçao”.

The most important trait that he sees as the frst fundamental building block towards this
goal, is the creation of a smart platform in Curaçao, through the modernization of the
education system. By utilizing the internet, educational methods and curricula are far
more customizable in order to better suit the specifc needs of the nation. With this
goal in mind, a pilot project has just been launched through the Ministry of Economic
Affairs, (Ministerie van Economische Ontwikkeling, MEO), that offers courses to educate people on how to code their own applications and to identify entrepreneurial
opportunities. Secondly, he envisions the implementation of smart technologies to
monitor and control things remotely: (e.g., the use of cybersecurity and predictive security to prevent fraud, and the use of drones to detect illegal dumping on the island).
Also, he would encourage the use of specific applications to enhance democratic participation by communicating with the government through petitions. And finally, he recognizes the importance of using smart technology to minimize the impact on the environment, (e.g., through the use of shared bicycles and other modes of transportation). Martina feels that once these traits have been implemented, they will be the drivers of a smart economy and will serve to increase efficiency without sacrifcing on productivity. The end result could even be a reduction in the number of work hours in each day, as workers become more and more efficient.
Recognizing the need to place our nation in a strategic position to seize all opportunities
to develop companies and initiatives utilizing smart technology, Mr. Martina noted,
“Success in the digital future will depend on Curaçao’s ability to implement innovation.”
As he so aptly recognized, “It’s not a choice.
The world changes and so should Curaçao.”

“it’s not a choice. the world changes and so should curacao”