China gifts Guyana 30,000 laptops
– OLPF project to fulfil its mandate
THE Governments of Guyana and China yesterday strengthened their bilateral relations through the signing of a US$8M grant-gift agreement for the supply of 30,000 laptops to the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) project.
This is one venture that the government hopes will significantly aid its Information Communication Technology (ICT) drive.
The opposition  parties late April, using their one-seat majority in the National Assembly had cut the budgetary allocation for the OLPF, thereby putting the project in jeopardy.
Project Manager, China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC), David Huang and Permanent Secretary of the Office of the President (OP), Omar Shariff, inked the agreement in the boardroom of OP.
Mr. Huang expressed delight with the collaboration between the two governments and their relations which he stated have been satisfactory. The two countries are currently celebrating 40 years of friendship.
He committed to ensuring that the devices are of a high quality and that they arrive in Guyana in a timely manner.
“This collaboration through this gift between Guyana and China will significantly improve the relations on the bilateral levels, that the two countries share,” he said.
Meanwhile, OLPF’s Public Relations Consultant, Dario Mcklmon welcomed the gesture from the Chinese, and stated that the programme which is in its early second stage, has seen approximately 10,000 laptops distributed during the first phase to persons earning $50,000 or less, differently-abled and single-parent families.
“During this year, we will continue with the verification process and the remaining applicants will receive their laptops,” he said.
Persons earning up to $100,000 are now being invited to submit their applications for the laptops.
The OLPF was initiated through the vision and stewardship of former President Bharrat Jagdeo as he believes that every Guyanese must have the skills to function in the world of tomorrow and, as such, pushed the implementation and development of ICT locally.
Scores of ICT labs have been constructed in secondary schools across the country.
The fibre optic cable from Brazil to Guyana will ensure that high- speed internet becomes readily available and also create more jobs as much more call centres will become operational.
Money for the cable allocated in the 2012 national budget has also been cut by the joint opposition.
The OLPF programme, which has received an overwhelming response from the public thus far, will see about 90,000 laptops distributed during the life of the project.
It seeks to empower poor and working-class Guyanese with the modern means of enhancing their education, livelihoods and personal ambitions, through the use of computer technology.