-promises roll out of five-year digital transformation strategy

GENERAL Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, said that as a government, his party intends to continue to push digitisation over the next five years.

Dr Jagdeo made this known during his weekly press conference on Thursday at Freedom House, during which he noted that the PPP/C is the only party with a defined plan for the future.

“We believe that people must know what to expect in the next five years… they have already seen what we have done… but many
people want to know what is going to happen in the next five years.”

The general secretary outlined key aspects of the digital transformation strategy and pointed out that there will be technological upgrades in public services, law enforcement, healthcare, education and governance.

Part of this plan, he stated, includes the use of blockchain technology to address issues of record tampering, among other things, in relation to land allocation and mining.

“We are committed to introducing [blockchain] in many public sector agencies that have to do with records and public service,” he said, adding that tamper-proof technology for certain systems can ensure that persons are not at a disadvantage.

In addition to this, Dr Jagdeo stated that the overhaul of healthcare delivery is already underway and will continue as work has commenced on the Electronic Health Record System.

He disclosed, “In the next term, every person in Guyana will have their record in electronic form. It would follow you through your life.”
The contract has already been awarded for this and it is expected to enhance continuity of care and the data protection legislation that was passed recently will ensure its security.

In relation to public safety, Dr Jagdeo indicated that the expansion of surveillance cameras and the e-ticketing system has marked a significant shift in law enforcement.

Further to this, he said this system has received massive public support, with more citizens asking how soon they can see cameras in their communities to aid in curbing petty crime, among other things.
Additionally, the system e-ticketing system will be further expanded as he highlighted that it would ensure equal treatment under traffic laws.

Its further expansion over the next term, Jagdeo said may be able to cover more activities, for example, documents like ensuring insurance and fitness on vehicles are up to date.

He said there will no longer be a need for officers to stop drivers on the roadside as all of these infractions will be picked up, and those committing offences will receive their tickets, among other things.

Among other forward-looking initiatives for the party’s next term in office, Dr Jagdeo spoke about the strengthening of the country’s 911 system through centralised recording, the introduction of AI-powered agriculture and education platforms and constructing regional facilities to support technical training under the GOAL scholarship.

Meanwhile, he stated that the PPP/C administration will invest in human capital to cater for the push towards digitisation.

“We’d have to hire a slew of young people to populate these entities and to run this system,” he said.
With this, he stated that scholarships and training in areas like cybersecurity and technical maintenance will be prioritised to prepare the next generation for the evolving demands of the digital economy.