APPROXIMATELY 900 residents of the Region 5 (Mahaica/Berbice) communities of Bush Lot and Rosignol are now in receipt of their laptops as the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) Secretariat continues distributing the devices as part of government’s drive to expand the use of information and communication technology (ICT) countrywide.

Region 5 Chairman Bindrabhan Bisnauth visited all the distribution centres on Thursday and commended the government for sustaining the programme and for ensuring that every Guyanese has access to information and communication technology.
“The process has started in Region 5…a lot of them (residents) are happy, and I can assure you that they will make good use of the laptops,” Bisnauth said.
He expressed optimism that people of the entire region would be serviced over a period of time.
Bisnauth highlighted that a growing number of the beneficiaries are senior citizens, who have shown keen interest in the training. “They want to get involved in the digital world,” he said.
Beneficiaries at the Region 5 distribution centres were elated to receive the laptops, and thanked the Government for such a pioneering initiative.
“On behalf of the residents of Bush Lot, I would like to thank the government for this laptop, which will benefit us. We are thankful,” said Bush Lot resident Meena Seegobin as she uplifted her laptop at the secondary school in the village, where about 300 laptops were expected to be distributed on Thursday.
At Rosignol, 337 laptops were slated to be distributed. Sham Kumari, who completed her first day of training, said she was very happy to be able to receive the laptop, especially during this festive season.
“I was waiting (a) long (time) for my laptop, and I am happy to finally receive it…I have two daughters, and this will also assist them to do their homework; and we can all learn about the computer,” Kumari said.
Initiated by former President Bharrat Jagdeo, the OLPF programme was launched in 2011 with the initial aim to equip 90,000 families with laptops. Thus far, over 40,000 laptops have been distributed to families in various communities countrywide.
On Tuesday, a distribution exercise was held at the Cotton Tree Primary School, wherein persons from the Region 5 communities of Bel Air, Edderton, Expectation, Friends, Retreat, Numbers 2, 3 and 8, Zee Lust and Zee Zight Villages all benefited. The distribution exercise continued today in Blairmont.