– as Amerindian Heritage month opens
IN an effort to ensure that the indigenous peoples of Guyana are not lagging behind in access to Information Communication Technology (ICT) and its related services, President Bharrat Jagdeo promised to set up computer centres in every village.
The promise came at the opening of the tenth annual Amerindian Heritage Month last evening at the Sophia Exhibition Centre which was marked by a fanfare ceremony at the main benab. The head of state said the initiative, which will include a bank of computers with internet access, will be pursued over the next two years, starting with the larger villages.
“All the kids in those communities and everyone else can also learn those computers,” President Jagdeo said.
With the entry of a new fibre optic cable from Brazil through an investment by the Government, President Jagdeo said all institutions of the state will be interconnected to improve service.
Within three years Government also intends to complete the plan for solar power electricity in every Amerindian community. A total of 10,000 homes are to benefit from this initiative which has already begun with 1000 homes.
Given the geographic make-up of the interior and hinterland areas, the challenges of introducing ICT to Amerindian communities is different from those of the coastland even though government intends to establish communication linkages to every home.
The plan includes the provision of about 90,000 laptop computers to families beginning with the poorest.
“It is going to be hard to do that in the Amerindian communities where the homes are far apart and often there isn’t wireless communication or access to the internet. But do we sit on our hands and leave out these communities? The answer is no,” President Jagdeo said.
The new plan, according to the President, will also aid in the promotion of E-medicine, which is considered a faster and more efficient way of improving health services in these communities.
Even though health care in Amerindian communities has been expanded with the construction of hospitals and health huts, the President said the quality of health care in these areas has to be shifted to a higher level and believes that the gap will be sealed with the number of Guyanese students soon to return from Cuba as professional doctors. (GINA)