More ICT Hubs for Berbice
As Guyana forges its way to a vastly developing Information Technology Sector and to an era where almost everyone at some point will be technologically savvy, the government of the day has made it its priority to ensure this is a reality. As such the county of Berbice is no exception when it comes to soaking up development to such an extent.
During a recent Outreach, upon invitation from the Prime Minister’s Representative, Gobin Harbhajan, the Minister of Public Communications and her team that included the Director of Public Information, Imran Khan; National Data Management Unit Chairman Floyd Levi; and Director Phillip Walcott addressed a gathering of professionals within the region. Minister Hughes stated that it is the Ministry’s goal to ensure that it is easier for citizens to access online opportunities with the new technology that will be offered.
Using health as an example, she underscored, “We don’t have enough health centres and hospitals throughout Guyana. Someone is in a tragic accident and if the regional health institutions can’t deal with it we try to get them to Georgetown. This and more are the challenges that we face as a country but Technology offers us a solution.
“You can have specialists assisting from wherever you are through the internet. The doctor will be able to see your symptoms and immediately, long before it gets to that critical stage, an intervention could be made.” She lamented that for such developments to take place better internet access must be provided. “The first thing we did is to establish an E-Governance network, a fiber optic network and so what we have been able to do is connect high schools across the length and breadth of the coast onto this network. This simply means that students can access free internet from the respective schools.”
Minister Hughes also made mention of the new legislation tabled in parliament that will be launched into action in August of this year. This will provide an opportunity for persons desirous of obtaining a licence to provide internet services, besides the main player GTT who is currently the only licensed entity in the country to provide internet access (WiFi).
The Minister highlighted that with the recent additions of Information Communication Technology Hubs implemented in some parts of the country with Region Six benefiting from eight such hubs. It is one step forward in raising the bar of technology.
(kaieteurnewsonline.com)