Cable from Brazil to be connected within two weeks

Sep 17, 2011 News

– breakages remain greatest fear

The 540-kilometer fibre optic cable that Government is laying from Brazil and the vehicle that Guyana is hoping will drastically change the way it is run, has landed in Georgetown. Connectivity is expected within two weeks, an official say.
Currently, workers are busy linking the sections and conducting the necessary tests to ensure continuity, Senior Engineer Walter Willis told reporters earlier this week.
Willis is overseeing the project on behalf of government.

Chief Engineer Walter Willis inspecting the cable laying along the Linden Highway earlier this year.

One of the biggest worries for the engineer and Government will be how to minimize the disruptions of connectivity.
The cable is crucial to a government’s project to place 90,000 laptops in the hands of poor families across Guyana, Willis said. From it, Government will be creating hotspots and cheaper internet connections.
“Any disruptions will be a nightmare. I have conveyed this to Alexei Ramotar, who is managing the Project Execution Unit (PEU).”
And Willis has plenty reasons to be fearful. The fibre optic cable is crossing rivers, going underground and being strung on poles.
The challenges have been plenty since the laying of the cable started last year. The cables have come in 10-kilometer segments.
Three contractors were hired initially and then two more retained to speed up the work.
With heavy rains in Region Nine during the mid-year period, work also suffered because of flooding along the Lethem trail.
There was one deliberate cut and at least four accidental ones while the laying was in progress. All these have since been corrected.
According to Willis, the cable laying has been done in phases. From Takutu Bridge, Lethem to Annai; from Annai to Kurupukari; from Kurupukari to Mabura and from Mabura to Wisroc Junction. From being underground up to Wisroc Junction, it was then partially suspended to the Linden Turnoff before being placed underground again up to Kuru Kururu. From there, it has been strung on posts to the city.
The PEU has already acquired equipment, similar to that of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company, to quickly identify problem areas along the lines.
The project, part of a larger plan to speed internet access across Guyana, came shortly after GT&T landed a US$60M fibre optic cable from Suriname.
The Brazil cable will see improved connectivity between government offices, easier access to citizens to download forms, passport applications and other critical information.
This will all change dramatically, government has said.

8 thoughts on “Cable from Brazil to be connected within two weeks”

APny September 17, 2011 at 9:33 am

Kudos to Guyana’s greatest President ever. Another landmark accomplishment for all Guyanese, despite the daily dose of lies and fabrications. Thanks KN.
1. saggacayman September 17, 2011 at 8:27 pm
  
  In this day and age and with all the money that was misused is only now your President found it relevant to run fiber cable? And is that any great accomplishment to make him the greatest President ever? You need to travel more often and research other Caribbean leaders before making your statements.
360jabjab September 17, 2011 at 10:53 am

From what is described here in this article i can say once again a wanton waste of tax payers money.I am not critiquing the cable but how it id done.very soon they will have to spend millions repairing this cable.Oh gosh man u mean another campaign gig that not properly thought out.come on now.
badass4u2mikal September 17, 2011 at 11:08 am

Secon article for today that i have read from your site, I MUST say vast improvement in this newspaper Journalistic maturity…Kudos to you all…I hope to see more articles of such presentation….Keep the opinated details for your comments and editorials….You can do this…you can…As a reader. I want the details and fact of the information..KEEP IT KN….Dont disappoint..
JATED September 17, 2011 at 11:18 am

my hopes are high for this project, i would be glad if there are no more delays. Here-in I think is a good idea to bring much needed services to the people of guyana. However the government should not stifle competition and allow gt&t the spectrum the request to bring emagine services to all of guyana. companies are not encourage to invest when the government act in this manner
Gt_bana September 17, 2011 at 1:59 pm

I was hoping the cable could be laid under ground for the entire length, this would minimize wilful disruption of service. Does anyone know why it is being strung on poles from Kuru kururu to Grorgetown?
stoneagefred September 17, 2011 at 8:23 pm

A landmark accomplishment? This idea was hijacked from the telephone company. What the government is doing is wrong. It is competing against private investors. The government does that selectively. For example, it allows its friends to run illegal printing businesses, photocopying copyrighted books for sale. This has resulted in a legitimate bookstore being pushed out of business. Talk about accomplishments.
rumpunch1 September 17, 2011 at 9:20 pm

This man Willis gat nuff head because he wears nuff hat,