The Operational Head of the One Laptop Per Family project Sesh Sukhdeo has resigned, the programme confirmed today.
In a statement, it said that he was appointed to manage the project in November 2010. It provided no reasons why he resigned.
The statement added that as the project “accelerates” its Phase One distribution schedule, a transitional collective management arrangement has been put in place pending the appointment of a suitable replacement.
It said that all stakeholders and beneficiaries are assured that the project for the successful delivery of the 90,000 Laptop computers with the requisite training and support is on stream.
The One Laptop Per Family project which is the brain child of former President Bharrat Jagdeo is a component of the national ICT 4 D (for development) strategy, the statement pointed out.
It further noted that President Donald Ramotar has stated that the goal is not just to get laptops into every home but to “ensure that within three years, every single Guyanese is computer literate, thereby making Guyana one of the most computer literate countries in the world.”
It said that more than 11,000 people have already benefited from the OLPF in phase one.
The OLPF has been mired in controversy from its inception. Questions were raised about the soundness of the judgement behind it and whether it made sense. Critics have argued that handing out laptops to families will not necessarily achieve the objective of making them computer literate. There were also the issues of training, maintenance, use of the laptops and addressing matters like theft.
Controversy was also stirred when it was disclosed that the first set of laptops were purchased via a financial donation from a Chinese company which had secured a large contract here.
A previous project manager also left under a cloud. Jud Lohmeyer who said he was amazed at how much money he was being paid to oversee the project was later accused by the Office of the President of threatening to blackmail it.
OP had said “Mr Judson Lohmeyer, an ex-consultant/project manager for the One Laptop per Family has written threatening the Office of the President with blackmail over the release of information about the project.” Lohmeyer, the release said, was hired by OP as the consultant to lead the pilot and design for the launch of the OLPF initiative.” According to the release, “Lohmeyer submitted his resignation after being criticized for poor performance and disclosures from an investigation into his credentials.” The release said Lohmeyer “is now threatening to release ‘information’ unless he is provided with severance payments. “The foolish attempt by this individual is unlikely to impair the administration’s commitment to the OLPF.”
Lohmeyer was replaced by Sukhdeo.
The OLPF initiative was officially launched in January, 2012 at the International Conference Centre. Under this programme, the government plans to distribute 90,000 to poor families over the next three years.
Critics have also said that it was an electioneering project.
