The conference, to be held under the theme "utilisation of traditional and open source technologies for business solutions" will attract some of the most high-powered persons in the profession.

The chairman, Hugh Campbell, says the conference will explore cost-reduction and profit-maximisation approaches both on a corporate and national level.
Among the speakers at this year's conference:

. World-renowned mathematician, Kweku-Muata Osei-Bryson, professor of information systems at the Virginia Commonwealth University.

. Haniph Latchman, a Jamaican and Rhodes Scholar and professor of electrical and computer engineering at University of Florida.

. Scott Myers, president of EnTrans Solution Inc of the USA.

. Rene Bastion, director of security solutions, at Above Security, a company based in Quebec, Canada.

They will be discussing a range of issues, including tree clustering, broad band powerline communication technology, open source technology for secure enterprises, and justifying the introduction of a managed security monitoring and intervention service.

Jamaicans operating here who will address the forum include: Eleanor Brown, Rhodes Scholar and executive vice president, of Caribbean Basin Investors Ltd; Ernest Smith, CEO at Spectrum Management Authority; and Maurice McNaughton, director of information systems at JPS.

Among the issues they will address are: accessing venture capital for small businesses in emerging markets, and telecommunications regulations.

The organisers say that the forum will provide an opportunity for decision-makers and technology users to exchange ideas, share experiences and demonstrate innovations in the application of ICT to meet contemporary and future information needs. Participants are expected from the Caribbean, USA and Canada.

The first plenary session of the conference, on Friday, October 29, will be opened by technology minister Phillip Paulwell.

The awards ceremony will be staged on Saturday, October 30, and will feature Keith Duncan, deputy managing director of Jamaica Money Market Brokers as the guest speaker. The ceremony will also announce the Industry Lifetime Achievement Award for 2004.

Among the sponsors of this year's event are Altigen, Cable and Wireless, Dell, Business Objects, Oracle, People Soft, Above Security, and Moore Business Forms.

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