OLPF project Initiative will positively impact and solidify economic growth – ICT experts

Information and communication technology (ICT) experts have hailed the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) initiative as one that will positively impact the lives of Guyanese, bringing them together, making their differences illusive while solidifying economic activities and growth.

One goal of the OLPF initiative, according to one expert, is “to assist our people develop the necessary skills for achieving health, wealth and well-being in their work situations, their families and their communities.” The experts note that an environment populated with ICT- literate and skilled people will be taking Guyana on the brink of building an e-Guyana plane, which will inevitably lead to an improved quality of life for all citizens.

Guyana’s head of state, President Bharrat Jagdeo, has unfalteringly defended the OLPF initiative against both political and media critics. He has noted that the programme is aimed at transforming the national economy by significantly contributing to the development of rural communities, “taking the economy to the people.” Experts highlight the key functions of the OLPF initiative as being founded on capacity- building with the validation of skills that would enable citizens to learn to use the computers through foundation courses, while gradually advancing Internet use.

It provides the essential skills that are necessary for the beneficiaries to actively get the most out of the information superhighway. This in itself satisfies the needs of those who feel left behind because of the lack of technological skills.

There is to be rapid economic development while ICT will be seen as an enabler of government administration and service delivery, where public benefits can be derived from greater access to information and service. It has also been described as an engine of the service sector development that will see improvements in the information being made available to customers. It will propel industrial development through innovation and creativity, which will see productivity gains being realized; while the agriculture sector will see farmers having better and faster access to information about the weather, pests and procurement, among other important issues.

All of the foregoing would become possible through the links associated with the fibre optic cable that will connect Guyana to the rest of the world.

In a much wider context, this initiative will see collaborative efforts of the government, planners, health professionals, and other agencies to highlight reliable, timely, high quality health information wherever the netbooks can be used to access information.

This would see the strengthening of public health research and prevention programmes, while promoting men’s and women’s health, speaking particularly to HIV/ AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. The Health Ministry would be better able to monitor and control the spread of communicable diseases through the improvement of common information systems.

As it relates to the creation of more jobs for the people of Guyana, the initiative has as its focus providing new ways of organising work and business, with the aim of raising productivity, growth, and wellbeing through investment in ICTs and human resources; it promotes tele-working, which will see citizens living in their respective societies and working anywhere.

The experts said the benefits of such a programme are numerous. It is expected that persons will be anxious to learn new skills, as the feeling of low self-esteem, inferiority, failure and fear would dissipate when Guyana’s national ICT strategy is a plan to facilitate and ensure the dramatic increase in the country’s social and economic wellbeing at all levels: individual, organisational and national.

It is geared to leverage and enhance Guyana’s human resources, innovation, education, and infrastructure; and information technology, to accelerate economic and social development.

It is also designed to play a critical role in achieving the national development goals and in facilitating and promoting prosperity and wellbeing.

Government has allocated some Gy$1.8 billion for the OLPF project. This is to be implemented over the next two years, targeting mostly less fortunate families.

President Jagdeo has said several factors are being taken into consideration to determine less fortunate sections of society, including an income test and groups such as single parents.