Thirty pilot Community ICT Hubs to be launched in several regions

Dec 18, 2016 News

As Guyana continues to advance in the world of technology, Government will be streamlining a series of initiatives in the coming year particularly in the area of Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

The Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes.

The Government has allocated an estimated $90 million to provide ICT access to the Hinterland, as well as poor and remote communities throughout Guyana.
Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes, previously stated in the National Assembly that the Government intends to expand the reach of its services to the hinterland.
She added that Community ICT hubs and Public Internet Access Points (PIAPs) will be established in Masakenari, Annai, Lethem, Waramadong, Paramakatoi, Aishalton, St. Cuthbert’s Mission, Linden, Bartica, Mahdia, Mabaruma, Port Kaituma, and Kwakwani, in addition to at least 24 more pilot communities across Guyana.
She said that the aim of this initiative is to improve the livelihood of persons in these regions and to reduce the digital divide that exists between coast and hinterland; between the haves and the have-nots; between urban and rural areas through access to educational resources.
“It also allows us to leverage local – indigenous – knowledge in the development of Guyana’s natural raw materials and the promotion/marketing of local products.” Additionally, 30 pilot Community ICT Hubs serving an estimated 60,000 residents, will be established in Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam)— at Affiance, Onderneeming, Lima Sands; Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara), Leonora, Den Amstel, La Parfaite Harmonie, Hague Jib; Region Four (Demerara/Mahaica), Agricola, Mocha Arcadia, Enmore; Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice), Ithaca and Bath Settlement; and Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne), Whim, Fyrish, Bara Cara, Skeldon.
In the next stage of expansion, communities in Regions One (Barima/Waini), Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni), Eight (Potaro/Siparuni), Nine (Upper Takatu/Upper Essequibo) and Ten (Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice) will also be considered.
The Minister stated that the Government has also recognized that there is a need to boost Guyana’s ICT human capacity. Approximately $160 million will be spent on the delivery of specialized ICT training, in collaboration with the Government of India, through the Centre of Excellence in Information Technology (CEIT).
“The fully renovated, furnished and adequately equipped Centre will be opened in 2017 with a focused training-of-trainers programme in advanced areas of ICTs who will in turn provide training for up to 500 ICT professionals; in a variety of advanced ICT areas of specialization e.g. cyber security, mobile and cellular 4G technologies, big data; in the two-year duration of the project,” the Minister stated.

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