IfG.CC - The Institute for eGovernment

A six-month agreement with the University of Miami calls for experts to create a master plan for a technologically modern area that is a model of sustainability, resilience and health care.

The tiny country of Guyana, tucked in the northern coast of South America, is poised to become one of the richest countries in the world per capita and one of the largest exporters of oil, news outlets have reported.

The Guyanese government is looking to salvage its disastrous ‘E-Government’ network rollout by abandoning the infrastructure in the country’s hinterland and expanding the fibre footprint in the coastal regions. Demerara Waves writes that the state is expected to sign a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Chinese vendor Huawei in the next two weeks with a view to rolling out fibre to areas such as Linden, Bartica and Mabaruma. The agreement would also see Huawei provide additional support and training for Guyanese engineers. Meanwhile, the state has decided to abandon the non-functioning overland fibre-optic cable connecting the coastal system to Brazil in favour of satellite links. To that end, the government has invited expressions of interest (EoI) from satellite providers to determine the cost of using the technology to provide services to the country’s sparsely populated interior. Commenting on the move, Floyd Levi, the head of the Ministry of Public Telecommunications’ E-Government division, explained that bandwidth requirements in rural areas are not that high but went on to say that: ‘We also recognise that the numbers we will be looking at could be quite huge so we expect to have an economy of scale brought to bear when pricing is considered.’

A Wi-Fi programme is being rolled out at secondary schools with Hinterland and remote areas slated to benefit by the end of the first quarter of 2016.

eGovernment Advisor, Floyd Levi said the unit has also been mandated to provide internet access to all tertiary educational institutes.

He said a pilot has already been implemented at President’s College to determine the needs and requirements of other schools.

Guyana is considering the Trinidad and Tobago model of the Electronic Single Window (ESW) to fast-track the processing of imports and exports instead of waiting days, under a project being facilitated by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

With financing from South Korea, the hemispheric bank on Wednesday brought together stakeholders from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Guyana Police Force, Guyana Revenue Authority, Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest), Ministry of Business, Ministry of Finance and the private sector to examine the model.

The statement said that the government in implementing its ICT strategy, specifically e-government, has decided to employ the use of the electronic medium in the publication of notices and the procurement process of goods and services.

Government is in the process of procuring the necessary infrastructure to facilitate the introduction of a second fibre optic cable from neighbouring Brazil which is anticipated to arrive in Georgetown by the second quarter of this year.

President Bharrat Jagdeo who made this disclosure at Saturday’s shore end fibre optic cable landing said such a move is part of the bold initiative by the Government to advance the sectors and applications that are vital to the modernisation of Guyana.

In early January, President Bharrat Jagdeo announced the plans for the overland cable from Brazil, while noting that that the government is working to enhance the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector. In December, the government had already advanced full payment of $353,548,617 (US$1.7M) to an American company for provision for the installation of fibre optic cables and terminal equipment. Jagdeo explained that the cable would be “dedicated purely to e-governance” and he anticipated the linking of institutions like schools, hospitals and police stations using the facility as well as greater telecoms reliability by ensuring redundancy. Currently, the capacity of the Americas II cable has almost been fully exploited, while damage to it has been responsible for major disruptions in telecoms traffic here.

When contacted yesterday, Mc Coy said that the website “may see a reduction in ads” in all daily newspapers. He said the government was moving towards e-governance so as to promote transparency. He said that placement of the ads and notices on a website would allow for them to be publicized for a longer time.

The foundation of the centre aback of Castellani House, Georgetown is being laid even as the E-Governance programme is progressing and is expected to move into its final stage early next year.

E-Governance Project Coordinator, Mr. Alexei Ramotar said that the Data Centre will not be a ‘fixed building’ as it will be housed in three containers; one for power, another for cooling and the third for data purposes.

A new Information and Communications Technology Hub was commissioned at the ‘E’ Field Sophia Community Centre by Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes on Friday. The hub is expected to benefit approximately 3,500 residents, the Department of Public Information (DPI) said.

The project is a collaboration between the administration’s E-Government Unit, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Community Development Council.

The Guyana government appeared to have bartered rehabilitation of the Lethem-Georgetown state-owned fibre-optic cable in exchange for several pairs of the cable to a contracting company.

The duration of the contract was not disclosed.

Office of the President was quoted by the Government Information Agency (GINA) as saying that one source had estimated that the 20 percent damage to the estimated 600 kilometer cable would have cost US$28 million to repair.

By adopting smart city technology, the Guyana Police Force can provide better service and offer more protection to citizens.

The technology-driven force was touted by Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and President Irfaan Ali at the Guyana Police Force’s Annual Officer’s Conference on Thursday.

The conference is held annually to review and analyse its operations, operational procedures, policing strategies and create plans for the future.

The Ministry of Public Telecommunications announces the 100 percent merger of the National Data Management Authority (NDMA) and the eGovernment Project Execution Unit.

The reconstituted entity, with immediate effect, will be referred to as the National Data Management Authority (NDMA).

The Ministry of the Presidency (MOP) has decided to conduct an investigation into the financial arrangements of the E-Governance Project, a statement from the ministry said this morning.

As a result, Minister of State Joseph Harmon has instructed Project Manager Alexei Ramotar to proceed on administrative leave with immediate effect.

As Guyana continues to undergo an unprecedented transformation, the Government is moving ahead with the introduction of an electronic identification card that will contain biometric data of citizens and aid in enhancing security at a national level.

During his recent press conference, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo was asked about Chinese tech company Huawei. While in China on a State visit, President Dr Irfaan Ali met with Huawei top executives and there is talk of an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) campus being set up by the company in Guyana.

By its shadowy and opaque standards of governance cemented over the last 15 years or so, it came as no surprise that the PPP government stealthily signed a deal with a local contractor to “rehabilitate” the controversial fibre optic cable project. Whatever the real intention, this contract translates into the wholesale handing over of a valuable and sensitive, even if degraded, asset for the unlimited use by this investor without a clear idea of the cost to the government and as to whether there would be any benefit to the consumer.

Contending that parking meters will not the solve city’s woes in relation to adequate space, Mayor Ubraj Narine has suggested the creation of parking lots instead.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, the Georgetown Mayor stated that the current traffic situation in the capital city requires parking facilities rather than just parking meters.