Distribution of laptops picking up pace

More than 1000 additional Guyanese are recipients of laptops through the government’s One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) initiative.
On Friday, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds joined the OLPF team to distribute the laptops to residents at Hope, Mahaica, Enterprise, Plaisance, Goedverwagting/ Liliendaal and Bourda, Region Four.
At Mahaica, 90 laptops were presented, followed by 126 at Enterprise, 185 at Plaisance, 493 at Goedverwagting/ Liliendaal, and 158 at Bourda in Georgetown.

During his interactions with the recipients, the prime minister said that the government was pleased that it could bring this programme to Guyanese to ensure that they have an opportunity to become computer literate and familiar with Information Communication Technology (ICT).
Bridging the digital divide
The prime minister attributed the OLPF project to former President Bharrat Jagdeo, who, during his tenure, recognised the need and importance of exposing the Guyanese population to ICT.
“These days, almost everything has some IT aspect to it, and it also prepares the way for a programme of egovernment where all citizens could be able to get into a government system and do much of the work/ interactions they need with government offices via the computer and the Internet,” the PM said.
PM Hinds recalled that over the last 25-30 years, ICT has developed rapidly, and in this regard the government has commenced the installation of a fibre optic cable that would allow for more accessibility to the Internet.
In recognition of the attainable changes ICT can bring, the prime minister said that “the life we live is a reflection or indication of one’s ability to provide goods and services and the ability to share it with others”.
Apart from urging the recipients to care for the laptops, Prime Minister Hinds encouraged them to do their best in their classes, particularly since being competent in ICT offers many opportunities for both adults and youths.
Several of the recipients praised the government for the initiative, noting that the device will better their lives and enable them to stay in touch with their relatives and friends, and most importantly, assist their children in their learning process.
The OLPF is a national initiative aimed at bridging the digital divide, by providing access to information technology, the Internet, training and skills development to families across Guyana that will enable them to become part of the global information and knowledge highway, the Government Information Agency (GINA) said.
Come September 2013, government will complete installing the infrastructure network, inclusive of fibre-optic, cables that will realise free Internet access, along with high-speed delivery of e-government content to all. This has the potential to facilitate dramatic increases in social and economic welfare, and to catalyse major transformative changes in Guyana.
In May, this current phase of distribution commenced with a target total of 6000, and during the ensuing weeks, the OLPF secretariat staff members have been out in various areas in Region Four distributing laptops to recipients.