–launches app, cameras to provide live traffic updates, other services in Region Three

AS the government continues to invest in thousands of additional roads to enhance the country and tackle various issues, Leonard Gildarie, the Managing Director of Pixels-Guyana Inc., has launched the Pixels-Guyana app and added two more cameras in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) for over two million dollars.

The former journalist, who is now a businessman, mentioned in an interview with the Sunday Chronicle that the cameras have both internet capabilities and the ability to stream live traffic situations on the road, just like the others. The feed will be uploaded on the company’s Facebook page, as per his suggestion, enabling drivers and commuters to decide the ideal time to use the freeway.

Gildarie said, “I would first like to thank the CEO of E-net, Vishok Persaud, for giving us free internet to broadcast the feeds to the cameras, and to Mr. Gary Hall, one of the directors from GPL, for providing us with the necessary electricity. It was a collaborative effort among us, and without these two companies, this would not have been successful. I know the pain of being stuck in traffic for a long period of time, so I understand how frustrating it can be, so when we came up with the idea of monitoring the traffic our company became operational in June of last year.”
He continued, “I am happy to say that today we have the most modern digital screens throughout the entire Caribbean. These are the outdoor boards, and we have installed three of these digital screens on three overpasses, at Houston, at the Habour Bridge, and at Diamond on the East Bank of Demerara. We would have also installed some traffic cameras to monitor traffic last year. People saw while we were testing it on Facebook, and they shared their views on how helpful it was for them and requested that we keep it up online, which we did. It has grown since, and I can say that today we have eight cameras.”

The managing director added he is “extremely happy” that they are able to launch an additional two on the West Coast of Demerara. According to him, “today I am happy to say that I am very excited to be launching these cameras; the people from Region Three have been asking for this for a long time, and we are finally here.”

The former journalist said that he recognised that on several occasions the traffic is built up at the bridge. “People from Region Two and the other Islands, along with the residents of this region, can now see what the traffic is like at the bridge before they leave their homes, as well as the people who will be making their way over the bridge from Georgetown. Now, with our app, the view of the traffic is just at your fingertips, so we believe that it will greatly help Guyanese. The other camera is installed at Vreed-En-Hoop.”

Gildarie said: “I’ve always been somewhat of a technology freak; I always like to follow technology and see what capabilities could happen. I like to fiddle with cameras and drones and things like that,”

Future Plans
While the initiative is not cheap, Gildarie said that as a company and as a “patriotic Guyanese,” he is giving back to his country and his community by providing the service to them at no cost.
According to him, “Our intentions are to install these cameras across Guyana, at Leonora, Parika, on the East Coast of Demerara, Berbice, and Essequibo Coast. Each of these cameras is worth in excess of a million dollars. I have a very young and vibrant team, and I am very proud of them.”

Gildarie revealed that the first 3D screen in Guyana will be at the Amazonian Mall in a matter of months. He stated that he and the Guyanese ex-cricketer and owner of Amazonian Mall are collaborating on the said project.

In attendance at the launch was the Regional Chairman, Mr. Inshan Ayube, who explained that the installation of Pixels-Guyana Inc. would be a “game changer” for the Region. The Regional Chairman said he hopes others will praise the gesture and calls on other businessmen to come forward and give back to their communities through similar initiatives.