Understanding Climate Change (Part XV)
Guyana’s LCDS: Priority Areas for Implementation
Information and Communications Technology Infrastructure
IN PREVIOUS articles, we introduced Guyana’s Low-Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and identified the priority areas for implementation over the next two years. On May 24, 2010, the third draft of the LCDS was released and launched by His Excellency, President Bharrat Jagdeo.

The revised draft of the LCDS places greater emphasis on implementation, and outlines seven key priority areas for investment of forest payments over the next two years. This week, we will discuss one of these – Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Infrastructure

Information and Communications Technology
ICT allows users to participate in a rapidly changing world in which work and other activities are increasingly transformed by access to varied and developing technologies. ICT tools can be used to find, explore, analyze, exchange and present information effectively.
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the growth and development of ICTs has led to their wide diffusion and application, thus increasing their economic and social impact. ICT can improve environmental performance and address climate change across the economy. The biggest gains for smarter environmental and economic strategies and applications are in power generation and distribution, buildings and transportation – three areas which contribute to the bulk of greenhouse gases. Further environmental benefits of ICT applications are evident in areas such as water management, biodiversity protection, and pollution reduction.
The important role of technology has been recognized within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations on Climate Change.  The transfer of technology to developing countries for adaptation to climate change is now a discrete component of the negotiating text being developed for Cancun.
The important role of ICT in the Caribbean was specifically recognized at the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, at their 23rd Meeting in July, 2002, where it was agreed that the formulation of policy in relation to ICT requires attention, direction and promotion at the highest level.

Information and Communications Technology development in Guyana
A cornerstone of Guyana’s LCDS is enabling access to high-quality ICT infrastructure in all parts of Guyana.

Improving ICT infrastructure is a first step in the government’s efforts to advance the Guyanese society and economy through the deployment and use of technology and a modernized telecommunications sector.

Guyana’s LCDS (2010) highlights that  “such efforts will also catalyze private sector investment and facilitate Guyana’s rapidly-growing Business Process Outsourcing industry to more than double the number of people employed by 2013, and provide the infrastructure that is necessary to connect remote communities to Government and other essential services.”

In addition to the recently launched Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T)’s fibre-optic broadband service, and as part of its long-term telecommunications modernisation strategy, the government has already committed to delivering a new fiber-optic system from Brazil to Georgetown, and to developing an e-Government network.

Lethem’s importance as a port of entry, together with its remoteness from the capital, requires a high-speed connection to Georgetown. Current technologies such as satellite are very expensive and will not be able to handle real-time video feeds. Therefore, a broadband connection will be required. This connection will be facilitated by the installation of a fibre-optic cable.

Phase I of the project will see fibre-optic cables laid from Lethem to Georgetown in 2010; this will link Guyana to the rest of South America.

The current design of this project allows for 10 Gigabytes per second (Gbps) data transfer rates with existing available technologies for terminal equipment able to increase this to 1.9 Terabytes per second (Tbps). The fibre-optic cables are able to transmit data up to 80km, after which the signal degrades significantly. To compensate for the degradation, signal augmentation sites will have to be installed at 120km intervals. A total of six (6) sites will be created to house repeaters and terminal equipment for redistribution

Phases II and III will see expansion of telecommunications  services and the wireless broadband infrastructure network along the coast and into hinterland (including forest) villages and communities.

Once in place, the ICT infrastructure (and in the case of more remote communities, other digital
technologies) and the e-Government network will enable the delivery of government services via
digital media. In particular, it will improve the delivery of, and access by all citizens to, government and other public services, including information on government activities and
opportunities, public health, education and social development services.

In turn, increased national broadband capacity will enable the implementation of the ‘One Laptop per Family’ project which is currently under development. The overall objective will be to deliver 50,000 laptops to families, along with training in their use.

Fibre-optic cables allow for the efficient transfer of large amounts of data over great distances, and will therefore provide the broadband access required to kick-start accelerated service-type activity that will provide employment to thousands of Guyanese.
These ICT infrastructure investments will also be able to provide high-speed connectivity to rural inland areas where the existing infrastructure is not present, and remove the digital divide that has been stifling the growth of rural areas.

Next week, we will continue to explore important aspects of Guyana’s LCDS.

*Information used in this feature was extracted from the following reports and sources: Guyana’s Low-Carbon Development Strategy (2010), CARICOM, OECD and Office of the President
Prepared by the Office of Climate Change, July, 2010
For additional information, please contact:
Office of Climate Change, Office of the President
Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown
Tel. 223-5205
Email: info@lcds.gov.gy , Web Site: www.lcds.gov.gy