Moves underway to equip police vehicles, ambulances with internet connectivity

Jun 14, 2017 News

There are plans to equip service vehicles belonging to Government with internet connectivity.

Presidential Advisor on eGovernment, Floyd Levi

According to a government release yesterday, the technology that will be used is the same one that connects government buildings and schools.
This was disclosed by Presidential Advisor on eGovernment, Floyd Levi, after residents of No.35 village, East Berbice enquired about internet connectivity for police vehicles and ambulances.
“The initiative would provide police officers and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) with critical information at a faster rate and in most cases save lives, while providing a better service,” the statement said.
However, Levi noted that the programme can only be rolled out once there is a close in the connectivity gap on the coast.
“To fix this problem, the ministry is actually in negotiations with the Chinese company that actually built this network, Huawei technologies, to ensure that we have full coverage along the entire coastal region of Guyana to ensure that blank spots do not exist. So as it is right now this technology is being used,” Levi explained.
Levi pointed out that the initiative is still in the crafting stage, noting that once it is completed, it will be fully rolled out. This will see the eGovernance department placing towers comparable to the ones used by service providers Digicel and Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT).

Work has started to equip Government’s service vehicles with internet, it was disclosed yesterday.

“As soon as we finalize the arrangements with Huawei, we will be putting towers, cell phone towers similar to Digicel and GTT to cover these blank spots, and with that full coverage I am certain that the Guyana Police Force, Guyana Fire Service and EMS (Emergency Medical Services) will be able to use this technology to be better able to provide their services.”
The aim is to have the programme rolled out nationally. However, Levi pointed out that it will take time.
The government ever since taking office has been pushing for the development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Guyana and has been creating a number of ICT hubs across the country.