Computer geeks to compete in major ‘Hackathon’ event

Oct 25, 2016 News

The Ministry of Public Telecommunications (MoPT) will stage its first Hackathon in November at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.

Computer programmers will vie for cash prizes in two weeks time at a major Hackathon competition hosted by Government.

Under the theme: “Code till yuh Drop”, this 2016 Hackathon seeks to bring together the best teams of software developers and designers to develop workable solutions that will propel Guyana to the stage where every citizen is conversant with digital technologies, and is able to manage his/her business at the level that global trade requires.
“The Hackathon is highly competitive. It will take place over 48 hours from Friday, November 4, at noon, non-stop to noon on Sunday, November 6. The teams of three to five ‘coders’ will first be given specific scenarios for which they should create the most efficient, elegant software solutions,” the ministry explained.
On the last day, at the close, a panel of judges will adjudicate and award three prizes – $300,000, $200,000 and $150,000.
A Hackathon (also known as hackfest or Codefest) is an ICT design sprint in which computer programmers and other software developers including graphic and interface designers, project managers, novices and experts collaborate intensively on soft and hardware projects.
They tend to focus on programming language, operating systems, applications, innovative economic development programmes or developing specified programmes for government use, training aids, among other things.