CABINET has granted approval for a technical support and training programme for the E-Government network by Huawei Technologies Company Limited of China, since Guyana does not have local skills to operate and maintain the network.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon told reporters on Friday that Minister of Public Telecommunications Catherine Hughes requested Cabinet’s approval for the programme.
“Cabinet was advised that the E-Government that was built by Huawei between 2011 and 2014 and operationalised in 2016 lacked the local engineers and technicians with the requisite knowledge to operate and maintain the network.”
As it relates to the technical support aspect, it was proposed the Ministry of Public Infrastructure through the E-government Unit engage with Huawei to ensure that service to be provided include the replacement of hardware that may be defective or obsolete, technical support to restore the network in the event of system failure, round the clock help desk support, remote trouble shooting and software update.

“Cabinet agreed with the proposal submitted by the Minister of Public Telecommunications and requested that the minister proceed with the matter in the normal course of things requiring the National Procurement and Tender Board Administration’s (NPTAB) approval for any further contractual arrangements,” Harmon stated.
Hughes had said last year that the e-governance programme increases Government’s and the country’s capability to make Internet connectivity available to all citizens in the City, other parts of the coastland and inland communities.

She disclosed then that after preparatory work is completed a fibre-optic cable connecting Georgetown to Moleson Creek, Linden, Anna Regina, Linden and Lethem will be installed.
Wireless sites will be constructed and activated along these national corridors utilising 4G technologies, aimed at providing connectivity to all of the socio-economic services and facilities across the country.
The minister stressed that her Government supports the position that access to the Internet and utilisation of ICT will aid its ability to develop critical services and provide effective cost-cutting support to all productive sectors.

The multi-million-dollar e-governance project was rolled out under the former People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) administration with the aim of creating a network linking Government and other State agencies throughout the country.
The project hit controversy when the fibre-optic cable that was supposed to link the coastland to Brazil was scrapped as a result of technical faults.