Developing the Digital State

May 19, 2019 APNU Column, Features / Columnists

---

President David Granger, addressing the Caribbean Information and Communication Technology (CICT) Roadshow in July 2018, articulated the central role of ICT to the development of Guyana. The President said; “ICT plays a central role in this country. Guyana’s Green State Development Strategy; it does so by reducing the carbon footprint. ICT must drive the establishment of paperless agencies, departments and ministries. It must promote greater use of non-cash financial instruments. E-government must make public services more accessible; e-business must facilitate commerce, investment and trade.
ICT is a functional and practical response to the challenge of digital deficit in Caribbean states. It will promote greater inclusion and innovation and provide information services and digital industries consistent with the Green State Development Strategy.”
We are in an election season, and every week the PPP regales the media with talk of government wastage of public funds, scandals and allegations of poor governance. Lost from the constant and daily critique of the APNU+AFC, is the PPP’s vision for the future and any acknowledgement of their sins of the past. One may want to refer the PPP to the advice given in Matthew 7 verse 5 – You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
In the area of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), the record shows that the PPP, during it 23 years in government was an abject failure. This column will highlight just one project that failed miserably and at great cost to the Guyanese taxpayers.
In February 2010, then PPP General Secretary, Donald Ramotar told the nation that the government’s $ 1 Billion fibre optic cable project was aimed at breaking the monopoly control of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) in the telecommunication sector. He also called on the opposition in Parliament to see it as a path to job creation.
Two years later in May 2012, the Project Manager of the E-Governance Unit, Alexei Ramotar, the person tasked with managing the fibre optic project, reported that the laying of fibre-optic cable to improve Guyana’s telecommunications sector and ensure connectivity in the country should be completed by May/July of that year (2012). Ramotar said about 85 per cent of the project was completed and both phases were expected to cost US$ 38.2 million. He further stated that staff had recently been trained in the use of the interconnection equipment and the project was in the process of advertising for technicians to be trained in the use of fibre connection equipment.
Three years later in April 2015, the nation learned that this project was in trouble. The PPP government reported that the project had developed several problems and as part of the arrangements to correct the defects (with the E-Governance fibre optic cable from Brazil), the government had agreed to allow the contractor Faizal ‘Dax’ Mohamed of Dax Engineering, use of the bandwidth; they also agreed to have him maintain the cable for 25 years. It was also reported that 20 percent of the cable was damaged, with technical estimates putting repairs at US$28M.
This project, as all Guyanese are aware, turned out to be a colossal failure. On May 11, 2017 Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes told Kaieteur News that the government (APNU+AFC) had tried to save the $ 1.3B project but given its atrocious state, spending more money would constitute a grave sin against hardworking taxpayers. Hughes said, “We had to scrap this project. And it is frustrating to me and it is disappointing that here we have another project that has turned out to be nothing but a complete waste of taxpayers’ moneys. It is sickening.”
She recalled that this project was abandoned by the previous Administration after it had spent over $1B. Hughes said that the lack of a feasibility study, poor planning, absence of effective project management and the use of inexperienced contractors were some of the major factors that led to the failure of this project.
The APNU+AFC government, with little or no fanfare, has gone about the business of building a strong ICT sector. Already, over 100 government buildings have been connected to a new protected national network. Over 160 ICT Hubs have been established all across the country as well as internet and government‘s E-services to hinterland, poor and remote communities.
The University of Guyana’s Campus Area Network – CAN – has been expanded and over 9000 computers have been distributed to teachers. A new Centre of Excellence in IT is now available at the UG Turkeyen Campus. Expansion of the national E- government fibre optic network is underway with commencement of a national broadband expansion project to commence before the end of 2019.
The APNU+AFC recognises the importance of ICT. ICT effectively deployed, can promote improved productivity and competitiveness. It is a manifestation of technological progress, fostering innovation and, consequently, economic growth. It is part of the globalisation process which brings peoples and markets closer together by unlocking new markets for goods and services. ICT is affecting our economic, social and private lives profoundly. It is increasing the volume, and the speed of market transactions.
The digital state will deliver quality public services everywhere. It will reduce the need for citizens to travel outside of their regions, in years to come, to acquire passports, to access legal services, to examine their academic and medical records, to record births and deaths, to receive national insurance security benefits, to register businesses, to renew their drivers’ licences, to file income tax returns.
The digital state will revolutionise the delivery of education, including distance education, by introducing technology-based teaching in the public education system thereby improving educational attainment. The educational value of the digital state can be encapsulated in the legend – “log on, look, listen and learn”.
The adoption of information and communications technology, therefore, is a necessity for development for this government. It is the infrastructure upon which the superstructure of the digital state will be erected.

---

---