Georgetown: Prime Minister Samuel Hinds disclosed that an independent third-party expert has been asked to examine the government’s ambitious US$32 million e-governance project and make recommendations for its satisfactory completion at the earliest time.
Hinds’ comments were contained in his response to written questions from A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament Joseph Harmon on cost overruns related to the E-Government Project and the resume and salary of the project manager, Alexei Ramotar, the son of President Donald Ramotar.
He also informed the National Assembly that the project has not experienced “extensive delays,” as was being reported.
“The E-Government Project unit aimed for an April 2014 completion date. However, this has been extended for August 2014,” the prime minister said in his written response.
In January 2012, the WiMax and EVDO networks were changed to an LTE-Advanced network. This change allowed for a lower cost core network and the savings were used to move from 30 WiMax/EVDO sites to 54 LTE-Advanced sites, thus providing better high-speed coverage in major populated areas such as Linden, New Amsterdam, Georgetown, Anna Regina, and Port Mourant/Albion.
Additionally, it allowed for the establishment of a new site at Lethem, but this resulted in two months of delays since additional site surveys and designs were carried out. It was also pointed out that in October 2012, the LTE Tower foundation was designed by the Public Works Ministry and the contractor, Huawei. The creation of this design delayed the project by one month.
“Additional delays stemmed from difficulty of procuring piles, adverse weather conditions, and the provision of electrical access to the sites. By no stretch of the imagination can these delays be considered extensive,” Prime Minister Hinds stated.
Under the E-Government Project, the Information Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure necessary to provide the government with the ability to provide better services to Guyanese is being built.
The project aims to provide government-to-government communication, government-to-citizen access to information and services, and government-to-business communication. A fibre-optic link will be created between Moleson Creek, Georgetown and Parika. Additionally, a fibre ring within Georgetown has been set up to allow for a more efficient communication system, while a high-speed microwave link will be installed between Moleson Creek, Georgetown and Charity and another between Linden and Georgetown. The microwave network will be an active backup to the fibre network thereby making way for high-speed communication between government offices throughout the country.
In his response, the prime minister contended that there must have been some confusion between the E-Government Project and the Dense Wavelength Division Multiplex (DWDM) Long-Haul Fibre Project. The DWDM project is connecting Guyana to Brazil via the Lethem road with a fibre network utilising DWDM technology. “Neither relies on the other for success and neither was conceived with the other in mind, but they are complementary.”
But even the DWDM project is well within its budget, Hinds said. While it has been estimated at a cost of US$5 million, approximately US$600,000 still remains. “Since this project is the first of its kind for Guyana, it has encountered some challenges which were unknown, which have created delays,” he said, noting too that the project is being executed using local contractors and labourers.
Cummings Electrical, Dynamic Engineering, Dax Contracting Services, Bovell Construction and MMC are the companies that were awarded various sections of the project.
Additionally, the improper handling and installation of the fibre cables have resulted in some lengths of cable being damaged. “In addition, road wash away and the building of the new four-lane road on the East Bank of Demerara, as well as vandalism, have significantly contributed to the delays of approximately two years in implementing this project.”
Guyana moved to initiate the project following serious disruptions in international communications to and from Guyana for approximately three weeks in 2007, which caused the country to be virtually cut off from the world.
The project is designed to have a high-speed, high-capacity terrestrial fibre network, which links into Brazil’s network and by extension, the world’s.
Responding to Harmon’s second question, the prime minister disclosed that Ramotar has a master’s in computer science from the University of Waterloo, a bachelor’s degree in computer science, graduating with a distinction from the University of Guyana, and “over a decade of work experience.” It was pointed out too that he was employed as the project manager in 2010 before his father became president.
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