St Kitts and Nevis Minister of Public Infrastructure, Energy and Utilities, Domestic Transport, Information, Communication and Technology and Posts, Konris Maynard, has been elected president of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU).

Maynard was elected on September 23 at the CTU’s 32nd General Conference of Ministers in French Guiana, where he will take over leadership of the regional organisation responsible for advancing telecommunications and information and communications technology across the Caribbean.

Maynard participated in the General Conference virtually while serving as Acting Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis.

The election gives St Kitts and Nevis the presidency of the CTU as the region continues to focus on digital transformation, cybersecurity, connectivity and emerging technologies.

Maynard is no stranger to the organisation, having served as its vice-president from 2024 to 2026. He was elected to that position when the CTU’s 30th General Conference of Ministers was held in St Kitts and Nevis in October 2024.

In accepting the presidency, Maynard thanked member states for their confidence and said he intends to focus on strengthening regional cooperation.

“Digital transformation is no longer simply about technology; it is about how we transform government, strengthen our economies, improve education and healthcare, increase resilience, enhance cybersecurity and create new opportunities for our people,” Maynard said.

He also paid tribute to Trinidad and Tobago, which led the CTU for the past four years.

Trinidad and Tobago held the presidency from 2022 and was re-elected in 2024 for a second two-year term. The position was held first by Senator Hassel Bacchus and subsequently by Minister of Public Administration and Artificial Intelligence Dominic Smith following a change in government last year.

Maynard said he plans to build on the work carried out during Trinidad and Tobago’s tenure.

“My commitment is not simply to begin something new, but to build upon the foundation already laid, strengthen what is working and work collectively to take the CTU to even greater heights,” he said.

The minister also highlighted the significance of St Kitts and Nevis, the smallest sovereign nation in the Western Hemisphere, assuming leadership of the organisation.

“For the smallest sovereign nation in the Western Hemisphere to be entrusted with the presidency of an organisation representing the collective digital aspirations of our Caribbean region is a humbling honour,” he said.