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Contractor gets exclusive rights to US$100M ICT project
Over a five-year period, between 2010 and 2014, Government budgeted $20B (US$100M) for its Information Communication Technology (ICT) programme that included its E-Governance and fibre optic cable from 
Brazil and the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) projects.
According to the budget estimates for the period, the funding was a mixture of loans and grants from China and India and financing from taxpayers.
In 2010, the ICT projects kicked into gear, with $1.6B earmarked for the running of the Brazil-linked fibre optic cable from Lethem, Region Nine.
That amount was also for the construction of a central data centre for the E-Governance project at Castellani House, Georgetown, and construction of wireless and terrestrial network from Moleson Creek to Anna Regina.
That year, Government said that $6.5B was coming from China and $1B from India. Guyana would have been putting in $1.2B.
In 2011, the budget started to cater for the OLPF, under which Government promised to distribute 90,000 laptops to poor families as part of the ICT programme. $4.34B was budgeted that year.
In 2012, the Government allocations went up to $6.75B and also included the procurement of software, equipment, vehicles and materials.
The 2013 budget figures saw Government allocating $4.58B for the ICT project. By then, the data centre had already been built at Castellani House, so it was only the OLPF and the installation of the wireless network from Moleson Creek to Anna Regina that was left.
There was no mention of financing that year, or in 2014, of the Brazil fibre optic cable.
Last year, some $3.4B was allocated to the network system on the coast, the OLPF and the purchase of equipment.
The entire ICT project came under scrutiny this year after Government announced that it has signed an agreement with Dax Contracting Services Limited to repair the Brazil cable, the laying of which encountered severe difficulties last year.
In December, Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, admitted that the project, headed by Alexei Ramotar, was in trouble, and talks were underway with a local contractor and a consortium to resurrect it.
Last week, Government in a statement from the Office of the President announced that it had signed an agreement with Dax Contracting Services to repair the cable, at no cost to the government.
The contract reveals that Dax will enjoy unlimited benefits, as well as uncontrolled usage of the cable and every aspect of the US$100 million ICT project.
The agreement is for the repair, use and maintenance of the fibre optic cable from Brazil. It is for an initial 25 years with an option to extend it for a further 15 years.
Government spokesman, Dr Roger Luncheon, said that the Brazil cable has 12 pairs of fibres. Dax was granted a few for his exclusive use.
Government also granted tax exemptions, incentives, tax holidays, remissions and duty free concessions on vehicles to be imported by Dax.
Dax will use and maintain the said fibre optic cable, repeater stations and equipment for a period of 25 years from the date of signing of the agreement, with the option of renewal for an additional 15 years.
He will also have access to and approval for use of the Government of Guyana-owned fibre optic structure equipment including road access, and access to poles.
The repeater station and equipment are all part of the US$100 million investment on the ICT project.
“The Government of Guyana will provide Dax Contracting Services with the necessary support, according to the law, in obtaining licences to transmit and receive data via the fibre optic cable.
When contacted by this newspaper yesterday for a comment, the contractor, Faisal ‘Dax’ Mohamed said, “Hey, hey listen, you can go and f***k yourself.” He hung up the phone immediately after.
Below is a table of the budgetary allocations to the ICT project since 2010.
| Year | Description | Amount budgeted |
| 2010 | 1. Installation of fiber optic networking system from Georgetown to Lethem.
2. Construction of central data centre in Georgetown. 3. Construction of wireless and terrestrial network from Moleson Creek to Anna Regina. |
$1.68B |
| 2011 | 1. Installation of fibre optic networking system from Lethem to Georgetown.
2. Construction of wireless and terrestrial networking systems from Moleson Creek to Anna Regina. 3. Commencement of the One Laptop per Family (OLPF) programme. |
$4.34B |
| 2012 | 1. Construction of wireless and terrestrial networking system from Moleson Creek to Anna Regina.
2. Installation of fibre optic networking system from Lethem to Georgetown. 3. Continuation of the One Laptop per Family (OLPF) programme. 4. Procurement of software, equipment, vehicles and materials. |
$6.75B |
| 2013 | The project includes provision for:
1. Installation and commissioning of wireless and terrestrial networking system from Moleson Creek to Anna Regina. 2. Continuation of the One Laptop per Family (OLPF) programme. 3. Purchase of equipment. |
$4.58B |
| 2014 | 1. Installation and commissioning of networking system from Moleson Creek to Anna Regina
2. Continuation of OLPF 3. Purchase of equipment |
$3.46B |
| Total– $20.8B |
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