Thursday, 7 October Suriname Some other activities that we are conducting are: Recently UMTS frequencies have been granted to two operators . These services will be provided next year. Preparation of a study on Universal Access and the ne-cessity of a USO Fund The Government has plans to stimulate broadband in-ternet penetration by eliminating tax on PC’s and ICT Preparations of an awareness program towards the transfer from IPv4 to IPv6 and equipment. Other means to lower the costs of Internet access are the availability of an IXP and more competi-tion. Therefore we have just started a feasibility study Planning of the transition from analogue to digital TV. to install an IXP in Suriname and we also have plans to license more internet service providers to offer broad-band On the 27 th of October we will organize a workshop with experts from the ITU and representatives of dif-ferent services. We will finalize our broadband policy at standards to start discussions on the right the end of this year. standard for Suriname . We will also be able to ben-efit The Government of Suriname has stated in its annual address that ICT will be pivotal in the development of the country. In this sense the government services will be digitalized. Next to that a council for science and technology will be established. Their main task will be to stimulate the development of science and technol-ogy from the digital dividend. This is one of many co-operation activities we have had with the ITU. Others include support to Suriname by the provision of ICT equipment following a national disaster and assist-ance with the liberalization of the sector. Suriname had the honour of representing the Caribbean on the ITU Council from 2002 to 2006 when Trinidad and Tobago was elected. Suriname supports the tradition that at least one seat in region A is re-served in Suriname. A major activity that has taken place in Suriname which will give an overall boost to the ICTs sector is the in-vestment of the incumbent, in the Suriname – Guyana for the Caribbean. Submarine Cable System. With this investment the in-cumbent In closing we would like to thank the Mexican govern-ment will be able to satisfy the increase in demand and the ITU for their efforts to organize this im-portant conference. for broadband capacity. Amendment of our Telecommunications Act in line with the rapid developments in ICTs is one of our priorities. Since the liberalization we have granted over 250 li-censes covering different applications. Recently we have granted our first mobile virtual network opera-tors license. 201