Gov’t to bridge digital divides between coast and hinterland

Jun 25, 2016 News

– ICT study underway

In a bid to bridge the digital divide that exists between the Coastland and the Hinterland Region, the government through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), yesterday entered into an agreement with an international Consultancy Firm to conduct a Needs Assessment Project (NAP).

Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes, (Centre) ; UNDP’s Resident Representative, Khadija Musa (Left); and a representative of Detecon International GmbH, Stephan Dieter, signing the contract to kick off the Needs Assessment project yesterday at Colgrain House, Georgetown.

The data from the NAP– which will be gathered by the consultancy firm, Detecon International GmbH, will be presented to the Guyana Redd+Investment Fund (GRIF) for the funding of the Information and Communications Technology “(ICT) and E-Services for Hinterland, Poor and Remote Communities Project”.
The NAP is a baseline ICT study to determine, among other things, what infrastructure, technical capacity, and legal framework already exists – or is needed in poor, remote and unserved areas in Guyana.
Signing the NAP contract at Colgrain House, Camp Street, Georgetown, yesterday, was Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes; UNDP’s Resident Representative, Khadija Musa; and a representative of Detecon International GmbH, Stephan Dieter.
Minister Hughes, during her remarks stated that for many years, Guyana has been lagging behind the rest of the developed world and also, the Caribbean which is due to the lack of technological infrastructure and resources to meet the demand and standards that apply to almost every sector; to almost every field of endeavour; to almost every product and service – that is required to move Guyana forward.
The Minister stated that when A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) took over the reins of statehood last year, one of the promises made by the President, David Granger, was to ensure that the Country’s technologies would be brought up to par with the rest of the world; to bring Guyana into the twenty-first century. This promise will soon be brought to fruition, she indicated.
“Most of us Guyanese know that for many, many years, what happens on the Coast (and) what happens in our hinterlands regions vary vastly. In fact, when you look at sectors such as education, e-commerce, commerce development, our hinterland and remote communities have really not been able to be on par.”
The Minister cited the implementation of the ICT and E-Services for Hinterland, Poor and Remote Communities Project as crucial, since it will bridge that gap. Residents in the Hinterland will be able to keep up to date with issues going in the global arena.
Also, the project will enable hinterland residents to advertise and expand their reaches into the global and regional market place.
UNDP’s Resident Representative, Khadija Musa said that the UNDP was requested by Guyana to assist with the procurement process of the ICT Needs Assessment which she said, will bring the people of Guyana together.
She continued that in assisting the Government of Guyana, the UNDP conducted a competitive international bidding process which was advertised in several international media.
The UNDP received 14 expressions of interests from bidders, four of whom submitted full proposals. She continued an evaluation panel was proposed consisting of qualified experts which evaluated the bids. Detecon who submitted the “best “proposal, was announced as the successful bidder, Musa stated.