2017 - the year we can pay for parking on our phones!

Friday 30 December 2016

Digital Jersey's boss says he's looking forward to binning his scratch cards in 2017 and using his phone to pay for parking.

It's just one of the technological advances we can expect to see next year according to Tony Moretta.

Last year saw the Digital Jersey Hub set up under a dedicated team helping Islanders start up and run their digital businesses, train or retrain and learn a range of technical skills. It was also the place to hear from a range of domestic and international speakers on everything from FinTech, Al and eGovernment.

Mr Moretta said the year was about improving links with the financial services industry, working more closely with Digital Jersey's sister agency Jersey Finance and some of its members, most notably Barclays to launch the Eagle Lab in Jersey Library.

Digital Jersey worked closely with the States last year to properly understand the size of the digital sector in Jersey and make sure licences were available to import the right skills where necessary.

The Apple issue was finally fixed in 2016 so that Islanders can set up an account with their home address.

Mr Moretta said: "We've been forging a strong relationship with Estonia, a country I believe we can learn a lot from -  a small country that is a world leader in eGovernment and tech start-ups."

Digital Jersey has been busy working closely with the Health Department, GPs and local tech companies to develop the Digital Health Strategy for the Island that is being launched this month.

Mr Moretta said they'll also be launching an Internet of Things network early in the year and working with local media to educate everyone in the Island of the benefits of embracing technology and developing our digital skills.

He said Digital Jersey will also be working more closely with schools and the Education Department to strengthen the development of those skills in our children to better equip them for their future careers.

2017 is also all about strengthening Digital Jersey's ties with the financial services sector to make sure the Island is at the forefront of new developments in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Digital ID, and Blockchain.

Mr Moretta said: "Finally, of course, I am looking forward to being able to throw away my scratchcards and pay for my parking with my mobile phone!"