Minister of Public Telecommunications Cathy Hughes yesterday announced plans that would allow citizens to apply for birth and death certificates among other services online, as GTT launched its expanded LTE 4G service to Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).
“Today marks the first time that you the people of the Essequibo Coast from Supenaam to Charity will experience high-speed internet,” Chief Executive Officer of GTT Justin Nedd said to the scores of people gathered at the Anna Regina Car Park.
“I am really proud to stand here as a representative of GTT to highlight that we are the pioneers not only in Essequibo but in Guyana,” he said.
Over the years, residents of the Essequibo Coast have complained bitterly about the slow and unreliable service that was being offered to them.
Nedd said that GTT has now granted the request of the people. “We have listened to your concerns for a long time for higher speed internet and today is the day that we answer that call. Earlier this month we promised that by June we will be here delivering high speed internet, but we’re four months early. This means that your lives will change. It means that with GTT you will be able to do more. You can do more research, more learning and more communication so that your children’s children will be given the same educational opportunities as anyone across the world. You will be able to video chat, Skype or Snapchat using this quality high speed internet,” Nedd added.
Nedd added that huge surprises and deals will follow the introduction of high speed internet that will be made available for Essequibians in the coming months.
The telecommunications giant, in its effort to advance the technology in Essequibo announced that it has provided the Paediatric Ward of the Suddie Public Hospital with free high speed internet service and several other tangible donations, inclusive of fans. This announcement was met with resounding applause by the crowd.
Dr Killoutie Dass, who represented the Medical Superintendent of the Suddie Public Hospital extended her gratitude to GTT for choosing the hospital and providing the service.
Hughes, in her remarks, commended GTT for the expansion of the service to Essequibo.
“The Ministry of Public Telecommunications could not be happier that GTT has acted on its promise to provide faster internet connectivity to the people of Essequibo,” she stated.
“Even before we assumed office in 2015, this government was very aware that Guyana was lapping far behind our Caribbean neighbours and behind developed countries like the USA and Canada in terms of our inability to provide better internet connectivity….
“This limits the possibility of our people getting involved and benefiting from this technology driven world and all it has to offer. I’m talking about e-commerce, international trade, producing a product and selling it through the internet to a whole wide market.
“This also includes educational activities. It means improved access to online libraries and in regional hospitals and health centres, the ability to speak to a doctor in Georgetown from where you are.”
The minister said she believes Information and Communication Technology will achieve transformation in Guyana, as it can improve quality of life. She noted that Guyana was not ready for technological advances over the past years. “…We were not ready when CXC in 2015 announced that all candidates must submit their SBAs online. Guyana was not ready and that is not how it should be,” Hughes stated.
She said the government along with telecommunication agencies such as GTT will guarantee that students have more access to the internet; that each student can access the same information at the same time no matter where they live.
The minister said too that a key item on government’s agenda is to place public services within the reach of every citizen throughout Guyana. While the process is still being refined, the aim is for citizens to be able to apply for passports, “on your own computer at home or at any of the Wi-Fi hotspots,” she said. “Our aim is to place every single public service online including applications for birth and death certificates, business licences, business compliance certificates, everything you could think of… citizens of this country should be able and must be able to access online.”
She said the Telecommunications Ministry was seeking to create a range of ICT hubs to allow for free internet access.
She revealed too that the ministry will shortly activate a plan to rehabilitate the key post offices, most of which are in deplorable conditions. “I promise you that in a matter of months that you will see a complete transformation done,” she vowed.
Expanding access to the internet, she added, will see more Guyanese being able to market their produce to the entire world.
But she said the nation will only move forward if the private sector continues to invest in the provision of services and these must be “the latest, up-to-date services that every Guyanese wants to experience here in Guyana. This nation will only expand with the support of the commercial and manufacturing sectors. We applaud GTT in expanding its services to Essequibo and look forward to seeing and hearing of more.”
Several tents which were set up at the Anna Regina Car Park by GTT and were flocked by potential customers who were elated by the thought of having high speed internet at an affordable cost. Free umbrellas and bags were distributed to customers.
Persons who signed up for the LTE 4G service will have one month’s free service and will be given 50% discount on service activation.
The crowd was entertained by local calypsonian Wendell Walcott who performed an original jingle titled “Do more with GTT” and by a popular African and Indian drumming band from Adventure, Essequibo Coast.
