PUBLIC Internet Access Points (PIAPs) will be installed at over 600 public buildings, including government ministries, to provide citizens with free wifi. Presidential Advisor on E-, Floyd Levi, told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that during the first quarter of this year, work will begin to have the PIAPs installed in the buildings identified. An estimated $114 million has been allocated for this project in the 2017 National Budget.
Levi said that the initiative will increase the opportunities and channels through which thousands of individuals will access online resources and noted that it is part of the Government’s aim to reduce the digital divide and increase digital interaction with Government.
“When you get there you will have access to the internet. … this project will be started in the first quarter of 2017 and continue to expand for the remaining of the year,” Levi explained.
Additionally, the E-Government Agency will continue to roll out the WiFi projects in schools in the first quarter of 2017; and according to the Presidential Advisor, the project will make learning for students more fun and more interactive.
There will however be limits as to how much time students will be allowed to use a computer to access the WIFI network. He said too that there is also security software in the network that will prevent students from accessing malicious content and inappropriate websites.
He told GINA that the entire government network is filtered with the security software that will block access to harmful and inappropriate websites.
Noting that government agencies need to communicate with each other, Levi said the way to do that is through the network. He pointed out that the E-Government Agency is responsible for the network and will provide a wide- area networking facility for all agencies budgeted for by the government.
“In 2016, we started that process and in 2017, we will continue that process and …every year, keep adding government agencies to our network,” he stated.
The Ministries of Agriculture, Natural Resources, Public Infrastructure, Legal Affairs, Business, Finance, Public Security, Education, Public Health, Foreign Affairs, Presidency, Public Telecommunications, Indigenous People’s Affairs, Social Protection and Communities have already been added to the E-Government networks, along with the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), Parliament Office, Guyana Police Force headquarters, Youth and Sports -Ministry of Education Annex, Department of Public Service, Citizens Security Programme and The Arthur Chung Convention Centre.
Meanwhile, an estimated $90M will be used to provide Information and Communication Technology (ICT) access for Hinterland and remote communities throughout Guyana. Community ICT hubs and Public Internet Access Points (PIAPs) will be established in Masakenari, Annai, Lethem, Waramadong, Paramakatoi, Aishalton, St. Cuthbert’s Mission, Linden, Bartica, Mahdia, Mabaruma, Port Kaituma, and Kwakwani, in addition to at least 24 more pilot communities across Guyana.
Levi explained that the agency will be using a local telecommunications company and a private circuit to reach the targeted communities. “We will be using data services that are available at the communications company to take us to those locations very quickly, so in this instance there will be no need for us to run cables to those locations,” Levi explained.
Additionally, he said reaching the remote areas would be done in two sections – one through the network using the privately owned circuit and the second way will be by using satellite-based internet services to even communities that are farther off from the targeted communities’ ones that are mentioned above.
All communities identified, Levi said, will see ICT hubs being established.
Meanwhile, 17 post offices,including those at Kamarang, Acquero, Mabaruma, Ituni and Aurora, will be ICT ready in 2017. Last year, 10 post offices were made ICT -ready.