Q & A with Lizania Pérez

15 minutes with…

LIZANIA PÉREZ, Executive Secretary, COMTELCA.

Q. COMTELCA is a unique organisation – could you explain a little about its history and purpose?

The Regional Telecommunications Technical Commission (COMTELCA) is a regional entity created through the Central American Telecommunications Treaty signed in 1966, by the governments of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and in 1967, by Costa Rica. Given the constant evolution in telecommunications and the new regional scenario, the leaders of Central American countries decided to modernise the treaty through the Central American Telecommunications Protocol, signed in 1995, as part of the Central American Integration System (SICA). The Republic of Panama joined COMTELCA at this time, followed by the Dominican Republic and Mexico.

COMTELCA’s objective is to coordinate and promote the integration and development of telecommunications and information and communication technologies among its members. It issues binding resolutions through a legal framework designed to harmonise regulations and manage telecommunications systems to meet the needs of its members’ citizens.

How are responsibilities divided between COMTELCA and the national regulatory authorities? How are decisions reached and enforced?

COMTELCA is managed under a membership scheme where the member states designate which body will represent their country at the commission. This entity becomes the designated member, with all members coming together to form the board of directors. This board makes decisions and resolutions requiring mandatory compliance by the members.

What are the priorities for the organisation at the moment?

In accordance with our 2022-2025 Strategic Plan, COMTELCA’s priorities are:

• Institutional strengthening
• Capacity building and skills in telecommunication and information technology
• Strengthening of regional integration and international representativeness
• Harmonious development of telecommunications and information technology
• Regulatory harmonisation
• Promote public and regulatory policies within the framework of the sustainable development goals for the development of the region
• Quality of telecommunications services.

What do you see as the benefits of your cooperation agreement with the IIC?

The IIC and COMTELCA have common objectives to generate a space for dialogue between interested parties in the telecommunications sector. As a result of these discussions, digital agendas that anticipate technological innovation and promote investment can be developed. This in turn can guide decision makers to create both public policies and regulatory policies according for the future. We’re looking forward to attending each other’s events in the coming years!

What are the technologies on the horizon that excite you the most?

In my opinion, artificial intelligence is the technology of the future that most attracts my attention and, in my opinion, is most worthy of study. It is an innovation that can generate major change in the world and in how things are done. But we must not lose sight of the objective for which it is being developed. We must promote its ethical use, be it through regulatory frameworks or principles, local, regional or global.

Quickfire:

What was the last book you read?

The 5 love languages by Gary Chapman

What band would you like to play at your funeral?

Tercer Cielo, como si fuera mi último día (Like it was my last day)

Early mornings or late nights?

Early mornings.

Which country in Central America would you go to for your last meal, and what would you eat?

I would go to El Salvador to eat pupusas. (Caption for image: ‘Pupusas are a classic Salvadorean dish’)

What’s the first item you’d save if your house caught fire?

My cellphone