DESPITE the heavy rainfall on Wednesday, residents of Buxton and surrounding communities gathered in large numbers at the Tipperary Hall, in Buxton, to receive their laptops as the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) programme continued distribution in Region 4.More than four hundred and fifty (450) beneficiaries from Vigilance, Friendship, Buxton, Annandale and Courbane Park received their laptops.
Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Juan Edghill, who was present at the exercise, highlighted that this initiative is for Guyanese and that the programme is designed in such a way that “it is non- discriminatory, everybody that qualifies will benefit…this is for every person who qualifies and that is the nature of the PPP/C government.”
A five-day training session is also being offered to the recipients to ensure they are able to use the device.

Beneficiaries of this initiative expressed their gratitude to the government for this programme. One recipient, May Glenn, said that this initiative is a very good one; and it will prove very beneficial to the children, who are tomorrow’s future, while Evelyn Adams said that she was happy that the government was giving out laptops, and hers will aid her grandchildren in their school work.
The current exercise is a continuation of the distribution that commenced in May, and primarily targets Region 4 (Demerara/Mahaica). This initiative is focused on the distribution of 6,000 laptops to recipients of the East Coast, East Bank and Georgetown areas.
The OLPF programme was originally launched in 2011, to equip 90,000 families with laptops and to expand the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The programme was pioneered by former President Bharrat Jagdeo.(GINA)