–verification of prospective OLPF beneficiaries ongoing
Government says it is pleased that the National Information Communication and Technology (ICT) Strategy is progressing well.
The recent signing of the first One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) contract represents further progress in the implementation of this strategy.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, September 20, Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon revealed that supporting building blocks have continuously been erected. “Connectivity was one that was widespread, and would continue to be on the basis of affordable broadband and an open and competitive telecommunications sector,” he told reporters.
“Those would promote access to the 90,000 laptop distribution programme of the OLPF, and enable the school computerisation programme where all the secondary schools will be provided with computer labs; and it would also ensure the uptake (of) the opportunities in ICT and its contributions to the development of Guyana.”
Guyana’s National ICT Strategy is a plan to facilitate and ensure the dramatic increase in Guyana’s social and economic wealth at all levels: individual, organisational and national.
It is geared to leverage and enhance Guyana’s human resources, and its innovation, education, infrastructure and information technology capabilities to accelerate economic and social development. The strategy is designed to play a critical role in achieving the national development goals, and in facilitating and promoting our prosperity and wellbeing.
A US$7.5 million contract was signed last week for the first set of 27,000 laptops to be distributed to the poorest families in the country, in what is clearly a major component of the National ICT Strategy. Authorities say this set of laptops will be available for distribution in the last week of October. Dr Luncheon has said that verification of recipients is still ongoing, but this will not affect the distribution.
He has likened the verification to that of National Registration, explaining that “each household would be visited to ensure that documents’ assertions in the submitted application are indeed accurate.”
“I don’t see the necessity for the conclusion to be the occasion for the commencement of distribution. I say that because, once a verification has been done and we are clear in our minds to whom the first wave of distribution would be made, and we have identified who those beneficiaries would be; and once they have been verified in the different communities, there should be no reason for them to wait until the entire verification process is concluded before we start distributing even one laptop,” he further stated.
Fibre-optic cable
Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon
Another flagship project of the national ICT strategy is the US$60 million fibre-optic cable from Brazil. The laying of this cable has been completed, and according to Dr Luncheon, there are some corrections to be done to the laying of the cable, and some sites as well need securing.
“The 500-odd kilometres of cable have been laid in 10-kilometre pieces/reels. After each reel, you have to splice it and hook it up to the subsequent reel. So, from Lethem, across the bridge where the first connection with the Brazilian cable took place, we have a series of junction boxes where the splicing has to take place to make the cable one continuous cable from Lethem all the way to Georgetown,” the Cabinet secretary explained.
Guyana Times International understands that the cable was laid in six lots: lot one from Lethem to Annai; lot two from Annai to Kurupukari; lot three from Kurupukari to Mabura; lot four from Mabura to Wisroc; lot five from Wisroc to Providence; and lot six from Providence to Castellani House.
The installation of the junction boxes is said to form an integral part of the system’s protection.
“Definitely, for the government services to hook up and the delivery from the cable through wireless or wired means; for the security services, government agencies, connectivity would be available once that connection is made. Wireless or otherwise, the use of the technology would be immediately available,” Dr Luncheon said in response to a question on how soon Guyanese would be able to benefit from the investment.
The Brazil/ Guyana fibre-optic cable with high bandwidth will be dedicated to e-governance; and with access to it, citizens can find public information, download government forms, contact government representatives, and electronically access services in relation to pensions, passports and birth certificates.
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