Caribbean ICT Stakeholders Virtual Community (CIVIC)

The CIVIC 2.0 event

November 11-14 2008 – In the Dominican Republic

A unique multi-stakeholder regional event to

Integrate and empower Caribbean ICT4D stakeholders
Unleash the transformation potential of ICTs for the region

www.carisnet.org/en/civic2008

Logistics and Practical Information Sheet

General Event Information

Hotel and Venue

The event meeting will be held in the Iguana and Caimán salons of the Hotel Coral Costa Caribe. The hotel is located in Juan Dolio, 45 to 60 minutes (depending on traffic) from Santo Domingo, and 30 minutes from the airport on the east coast. On the web site you will find detailed information about its facilities and services and the “All Inclusive” package. There is also information about the check-in and check-out times for the hotel. 

Address is: Hotel Costa Caribe, Juan Dolio, Santo Domingo, República Dominicana
Telephone (1-809) 526 22 44, fax (1-809) 526 31 41

Email: info@coralhotels.com

Web: http://www.coralhotels.com

Workshop Fee:

There are no participation fees as the costs of the organization of the event are covered by the supporting institutions and the International Development Research Centre IDRC Canada

General event program

November 11-12 A training workshop on Development of policy for ICT4D (30 participants)

November 12 Volunteer CIVIC 2.0 channel managers Training in facilitation and moderation of discussion groups on topics relevant to ICTs for development

November 13-14 CIVIC Consultations - broader discussions that will lead to the development of a 2-3 year strategic plan for CIVIC

More detailed agendas will be emailed to participants and posted online. Some participants will be only attending the CIVIC consultations.

Schedule

The Workshop will run from 8:30 A.M. to 6 P.M. every day. There will be a break of 1:30 hours for lunch and two Coffee-breaks. We request that participants respect the schedules in order to fulfil the proposed event objectives. On the 13^th, (first day of the CIVIC consultation) we will finish at 4:30 pm to travel to the UNIBE university campus (in Santo Domingo) for a special event and cocktail at 6pm (see below).

Facilitation

The CIVIC consultation will be facilitated by Beatrice Briggs, founder and director of the International Institute for Facilitation and Change.

The Policy Training will be conducted by Dr. Elaine Wallace, ICT Policy and Regulation consultant, and Elizabeth Terry from ICT4D Jamaica.

The Channel Manager training will be facilitated by Stéphane Bruno and Yacine Khelladi.

Simultaneous interpretation and translations

The event will be held in the three main languages of the Caribbean: Spanish, English and French. We are making a considerable investment to have all documents translated in all three languages. However, due to the low number of French speaking participants, and the fact that they all have a working knowledge of English, we will provide simultaneous interpretation only for Spanish and English for all the sessions of the workshop. We ask you to keep this in mind, and would appreciate if you would assist the translators and interpreters as much as possible by speaking slowly, briefly and clearly, allowing time for the interpretation, and making clarifications as necessary.

The “OFF” program

The event is going to be centred on collective discussion and group work, so very little time is allocated for participants to present their projects or activities during the plenary sessions. Therefore, to facilitate the exchange of experiences, in one of the 2 rooms, participants will have the option to display printed information such as posters, brochures, or photos, or leave some publications on the display tables. An “off” program (or open mike) will be prepared for volunteer participants who wish to program (display) presentations or project video materials, during lunch breaks or after the official program (end of the day, early evenings).

Clothing

The CIVIC meetings do not require formal wear. Dress for workshop sessions is casual and comfortable. Cotton clothes are suitable for the warm climate in the Dominican Republic. However we advise you to bring something warm for the meetings since the temperature in closed rooms with air-conditioning tends to be low. The special cocktail/event to be held in Santo Domingo town for the 13^th will be semiformal for participants, formal for presenters.

Access to Internet:

Free WIFI connectivity will be available in the meeting rooms and the contiguous areas. We will also have two PCs available for participant use.

What to bring:

For us the most important requirement is that you come with the will to participate and build together, with an attitude of respect to each other, with patience and understanding of cultural, social or linguistic differences, with an open mind and positive energy.

Do not forget your bathing suits (between 7 AM and the breakfast you will have some time for the pool or the beach , and do not hesitate to bring something typical from your community that you want to share, either to eat, or drink, or dance to.

Extra activities.

On Thursday November 13th, all CIVIC consultation participants will be invited to participate in a forum “Dialogue and collaboration venues for Construction of the Caribbean Information Society” to be held at UNIBE university campus in Santo Domingo. The activity is jointly planned by CARISNET Consortium and NISC with the objective to engage about 100 key Dominican ICT stakeholders (not yet CIVIC members) who are invitees of Minister Rafael Vargas, president of the Dominican National Information Society Commission. This will be a unique opportunity to network, and a cocktail will be offered by the DCISC on the university premises.

A farewell party is programmed for the evening of the 14^th with “Batey 0” band (at the hotel) which blends traditional rhythms of the island (Rep. Dominican and Haiti) with rock.

Accommodations

We recommend that all participants stay at the Costa Caribe Resort where we have negotiated special “all inclusive” rates of RD$ 2,595 (US$ 73) in double occupancy room and RD$ 3,395 (US$ 96) in single rooms.

It is a four star resort hotel and participants are accommodated under “all inclusive” modality that includes all the buffet meals, unlimited national drinks, international drinks (from 6:00 p.m.), a program of activities, gymnasium and sports facilities such as tennis courts, bicycles, aquatic sports, children club, nightly shows, discothèque with open bar, etc. Check-in time is 3:00 pm and check-out 1:00pm. If you want to checkout later please inform the hotel front desk in advance. If you want to come earlier or extend your stay please contact us in advance.

Hotel booking / reservation

We are making reservations for all participants. If you have returned the Traveller profile form we will do the booking. If not, please do send it urgently by email. If you want to stay extra days or book extra activities, let us know and our travel agent (Service Travel) will help you.

Visa and Tourist Card

According to our research, only nationals of Haiti (who do not have a valid US or EU visa) and Cuba need a Dominican visa. All other Caribbean participants do not need a visa to enter the Dominican Republic. However upon your arrival to the airport you will have to buy a tourist card, which costs US$ 10.00. Please arrive with that sum (US$ 10) in cash (exact change, if possible) to facilitate the process, since they do not accept credit cards. The participants whose trip is being supported by CARISNET will have the cost of visa or tourist card reimbursed. Please submit receipts to justify and facilitate reimbursement.

Medical insurance

We have contracted a medical insurance plan for all foreign participants. It is a national medical insurance policy that covers up to 1000 US$ in emergency. Attention: It does not cover any event during the international travel, only starts at your arrival to the SDQ airport. Consult with an insurance or travel agency of your country if you wish an insurance for your international trip.

Arrival at the Airport

We will provide transfers from the Airport to the hotel In Juan Dolio and return for all international participants who informed us with their flight/time of arrival. A person with a poster “CIVIC 2.0 - TAIGUEY” will be waiting at the international exit after customs.

We should know if your flight has been delayed, however, if you changed your flights, and you do not find the person please, try first to call the telephone numbers that are in “contact” here. (There are several public phones in the airport lobby and calls can be made at a cost of 5 Dominican pesos coins).

We will reimburse the cost of a taxis to the hotel (approx 20US$) only if it has been authorized by telephone by the logistical coordination. On the day of your return flight, a driver will collect you from the hotel to transport you to the airport at the appropriate time

Confirmation of flights and connections:

Please bring your ticket or the itinerary (if electronic ticket) he first day of the meeting in order to have us confirm your return flights and connections. In the event that you want to make a change to your itinerary, please request this as soon as possible.

Sponsored participants

Accommodations for Sponsored participants

Participants whose accommodation is being paid for by CarISnet/IDRC will be hosted in double occupancy rooms. Those who wish to be in individual rooms have to request it in advance in the Traveller Profile form and you will have to pay for the difference (about 25US$ day) upon arrival.

Arrival dates for international participants are depending on your participation. Persons involved in both training activities arrive the 10^th, those in the channel manager training arrive the 11^th, and the consultation only arrive the 12^th ; all leaving on the 15^th. CarISneT will pay the hotel directly but all additional expenses or services not included in the “all inclusive” package (as telephone calls, laundry, etc.) or additional days that participant decides to stay, are at their personal expense. We are not responsible for these expenses, and you must pay them before checking out. If you have any doubt, please do consult us before requesting any service. In general, the hotels request a credit card or a deposit to guarantee the payment of these additional extra costs. If you want to come earlier or extend your stay, please contact us and mention it in the Traveller Profile form.

Travel airfare for international sponsored participants

International economic airfare will be booked and paid in advanced by the organising team. Please be sure to provide detailed information in the Traveller Profile form. You must keep and submit to us, the original boarding passes at the event secretariat.

Expenses reimbursement

For the participants whose travel is supported by CARISNET/IDRC, expenses such as airport taxes, visa, home-to-airport (reasonable) transportation cost, tourist card and air fare (to those who did not receive the pre-paid ticket) will be reimbursed. For this, they will have to present the corresponding invoices and/or receipts, with your name signed at the back and the calculation of its equivalent in US$ dollars.