–PM Phillips outlines accelerated digital push with 15 ICT hubs, expanded skills training

GUYANA is being positioned as a regional leader in digital transformation, as the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government accelerates its investments in national digital infrastructure, digital skills development, and technology-driven public services.
Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips made this clear in a video message aired on his official Facebook page on Saturday, where he outlined the government’s progress and forward plans across the energy, telecommunications, ICT, digital transformation and disaster preparedness sectors.
Looking ahead, the Prime Minister said that 15 new ICT hubs will be built in 2026, and training initiatives will continue as a priority, targeting 2,000 additional community members to ensure digital literacy becomes widespread.
The Prime Minister had noted that the National E-ID initiative, one of the government’s key initiatives, supports improved public service delivery and integration across the public and private sectors.
The biometric cards will not only offer citizens preferential treatment in certain areas, but will also strengthen border control by monitoring who is entering the country.
The cards will be important for daily transactions, including opening bank accounts, and are a critical part of Guyana’s wider digital transformation agenda.
He then turned his attention to the “Safe City to Safe Country” programme, a national security initiative to enhance public safety through advanced technology infrastructure improvements and increase surveillance, including CCTV systems, command centres and digital case management.
Connected by hundreds of modern and sophisticated CCTV cameras with command centres in various regions, the network is a major crime-fighting tool that not only identifies criminals, records criminal activity and aids intelligence gathering, but also acts as a deterrent to those wanting to engage in unlawful activities.
Additionally, the border control system and the introduction of E-passports have strengthened security at Guyana’s ports of entry and facilitated safer and more efficient international travel, Prime Minister Phillips said.
UNIVERSAL DIGITAL CONNECTIVITY
The Prime Minister also noted that there has been expanded connectivity in hinterland communities as to date, the National Data Management Authority (NDMA) has connected all 253 Amerindian communities, benefiting over 135,000 residents.
He said: “This high-speed Internet allows residents to have better access to Online teaching, GOAL scholarship programmes, telemedicine services, remote work opportunities. and new markets for their products and services.”
The expansion of the WIFI GY programme and the fibre-optic network has significantly improved connectivity across all regions, enabling access to online education, telemedicine, government services and economic opportunities, the Prime Minister said.
BUILDING DIGITAL SKILLS
Alongside infrastructure development, the Prime Minister said the government has placed more emphasis on digital skills training to ensure that all can effectively and safely use online platforms.
Since 2021, according to the Prime Minister, over 8,000 public servants have received specialised training in critical information infrastructure protection, focusing on essential cybersecurity practices.
In 2025, the NDMA expanded its reach by conducting these services and cyber security awareness training sessions in 120 American villages, impacting over 2,800 residents, he disclosed.
“These initiatives ensure that all citizens, regardless of where they live, can safely and effectively access digital tools and online government services,” the Prime Minister stated, noting that this training effort supports the broader expansion of the nation’s digital infrastructure.
More than 1,200 persons across multiple regions received ICT and innovation training through the ‘train the trainers’ initiative, the Prime Minister said, noting over 100 individuals in region one and nine were equipped to deliver ICT training within their own communities. Approximately 875 persons across regions 2,4,5,6, and 10 received foundational ICT training, while disability focused ICT programs empowered 24 persons in region four (Demerara-Mahaica) and innovation camps exposed a further 169 participants to creative problem solving and collaborative innovation.
“Through these expanded initiatives, the PPP/C government’s vision of inclusive, innovation-driven development will move closer to realisation, while positioning Guyana as a regional leader in digital transformation,” the Prime Minister said.