Georgetown: The Public Telecommunications Ministry has been given the green light by Cabinet to partner with Huawei Technologies Company Limited to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment that will pave the way for establishment of a nation-wide broadband network or the Smart Guyana Project. In making the disclosure at the Ministry of the Presidency on Thursday, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman explained that the assessment will determine the scope for the project.
“The assessment will include the level of effort and financing required and the consideration of information systems [and] applications for all level of Government,” Minister Trotman further explained.
However, he noted that the agreement when signed between the Public Telecommunications Ministry and Huawei Technologies will not prevent the Government from entering similar arrangements with any other interested party.
While there were similar studies in the past, Trotman said they were of no consequence to the E-Government Unit of the ministry.
Cabinet’s no-objection to the agreement comes months after the Public Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes had conducted a “fact-finding mission” to the People’s Republic of China.
Upon returning to Guyana, Minister Hughes in September, 2016,had told reporters that the trip, which was based on an invitation issued by Chinese technology giant Huawei Technologies, revealed the most advanced, state-of-the-art technologies in the field of ICT- Information and Communication Technology.
It was during that trip that the Telecommunications Minister and her delegation engaged officials of Huawei on the Government of Guyana’s US$32M E-Government Project.
“China’s development has been amazing. Our visit allowed our ministry, especially the E-Government unit, to explore new directions and create new strategies that can propel the development of a green, smart, information-driven Guyana. It is clear to me today, that we cannot solve Guyana’s problems in the traditional way. What’s exciting is that with the use of existing technologies, we have the capacity and many opportunities to truly connect, transform and innovate,” Minister Hughes had said.
At that time, the minister had alluded to the possible establishment of an interconnected digital platform that could provide government services to citizens in an efficient, cost-effective and time-saving manner.
She said it is about increasing bandwidth and improving levels of internet accessibility, and by extension communication services among all citizens.
“So interconnectivity is the foundation upon which we will build this integrated cross-sectoral platform. What does that platform look like? It offers citizens the benefits of tele-medicine, that is, having a doctor at a hospital in Georgetown connect with a patient in Mabaruma or Nappi Village, seeing and communicating with the patient and healthcare worker in real time and recommending treatment options.”
The E-Governance Project was rolled out in 2010 with the US$32M provided through a loan from China’s Exim Bank; however, in the past it had been met with several stumbling blocks.
In addition to approving the agreement involving Huawei Technologies, Cabinet agreed for the Public Telecommunications Minister to attend the 4th Meeting of Ministers of E-Government of Latin America and the Caribbean, which will be held in Santiago, Chile, from December 1-2, 2016. She will be accompanied by the Head of the E-Government Unit, Floyd Levi.
The meeting will be hosted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in collaboration with the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Government of Chile.
The meeting will bring together Latin America and Caribbean Leaders in the ICT sector to develop frameworks to promote successful information and communication technology policies for the implementation of digital programmes in government work.
Additionally, it will give Guyana the opportunity to build networks with countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.
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