28,000 laptops to be distributed this year

TIMES INT'L

The One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) project is moving apace since its commencement in 2011, Communication Officer Stacy Carmichael-James said.
In a recent interview with Guyana Times International, James said to date some 26,320 laptops have been distributed.
She noted that the project was able to reach its distribution target last year, and this year, it is hoping to distribute 28,000 laptops by August. She explained that the project has been having a positive impact on the lives of Guyanese.
“There are many success stories, we’ve been doing features all across Guyana where we’ve been into different regions speaking to recipients. In terms of families, we’ve had reports of people’s children performing better at school because they now have a laptop in the home,” she said.
She stated that university and other students have lauded the programme, noting that it has allowed them to do their research in the comfort of their homes.
Carmichael-James also pointed out that the reports claiming that there are households with multiple laptops are not accurate.
The Communication Officer noted that in the second phase of the project, the income bracket for those eligible to apply for laptops has been raised to Gy$ 100,000, and explained how persons can apply for the instruments.
“You can uplift the form at our headquarters in Forshaw Street . . . the forms are also available on the website,” she said.
Thus far, the OLPF has received 50,670 applications from across Guyana, and to date, it has verified 46,703 of those persons. She noted that more applications are now coming forward, as persons are seeing the benefits of the programme.
The OLPF official was however tight-lipped when asked about investigations into the missing laptops. Last year, 150 laptop were reportedly stolen from the OLPF’s warehouse at Forshaw Street, Queenstown, Georgetown.
Six staff members were sent home with immediate effect to facilitate investigations by the Guyana Police Force. In November, Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon announced that they will have to undergo polygraph tests. There has been no public disclosure on the matter since Dr Luncheon’s pronouncements.

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