THE International Telecommunication Union (ITU) intends to use the experiences garnered from training Guyanese trainers in its ‘Internet 4 @LL’ programme.

The programme was geared at making web services more accessible to Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).

The Train-the-Trainers programme ended on Friday, May 24. The main theme of the targeted programme was Internet Accessibility and Inclusivity.

According to a release from the Ministry of Public Telecommunications (MoPT), Internet 4 @LL was designed to create public awareness of the many built-in features in Smartphones and modern computer devices.

The course participants, who were all local Information and Communication Technology (ICT) specialists, were also required to design other programmes intended to make it easy for persons with disabilities to access and consume web content.

A team of experts attached to the ITU, led by its Senior Programme Officer, Roxana Widmer-Iliescu, facilitated the entire programme.

Widmer-Iliescu was loud in praise of the Guyana Government’s commitment to the community of disabled persons, and of the efforts being made to ensure that they are able to access information, facilities and amenities that are available to citizens.

The woman, who operates out of ITU’s headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, said that she is impressed with the all-in approach this government has taken and she intends to use the Guyana experience as a model for ITU.

“Widmer-Iliescu made it very clear that the operative word in the whole scenario concerning persons with disabilities (people with hearing, speech, visual and other such impairments) is inclusivity,” the release noted.

She also emphasised the fact that any programme addressing disabilities must include the aging population, people who develop age-related impairments.

Subsequent to this five-day training, all of the participants will continue their tutoring online and will be tested by ITU before they qualify for ITU’s Creation and Remediation of Digital Content certificate.

The release also noted that Public Telecommunications Minister, Cathy Hughes, took the opportunity during the Web Accessibility training programme ‘Internet 4 @ll’ to announce that the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has put into effect the new Tax Exemption policy for Persons with Disabilities.

Earlier in 2018, the MoPT had proposed Customs tax exemptions on retrofitted vehicles and smart phones for people with certain disabilities. This initiative was first announced by Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, in the 2019 Budget.

It was noted that the MoPT’s proposals stemmed from concerns expressed by PWDs, in particular, during the ministry’s public outreaches. ICT experts confirmed that there are many unused features and apps already built into smartphones, tablets and other computer devices, so the MoPT began to build public awareness. Among those features are the basic apps needed by people with impairments.

Minister Hughes said she is grateful that the budget team accepted the proposal and is happy that the GRA has completed the mechanisms to activate it.

“This is not just talk, this is action,” Minister Hughes stated.

She also voiced Guyana’s gratitude to the ITU for responding to MoPT’s request for assistance without any conditions. Widmer-Iliescu presented the minister with a roadmap for public awareness and training in Web Accessibility and Inclusivity to be implemented by MoPT in the immediate future.