With the aim of improving Guyana’s technology landscape, former journalist Leonard Gildharie yesterday commissioned four 18ft x 10ft LED screens positioned at various points along the East Bank highway.
The investment is pegged at just under $100 million and the screens, manufactured in China, are installed at Houston, Peter’s Hall and Diamond. In addition to the screens, Gildharie and his team at Pixels Guyana Inc also officially commissioned eight high-definition traffic cameras.
The cameras are a spinoff of the screens projects and currently provide road users, via Pixels Guyana’s Facebook page, with a real-time view to traffic along the East Bank corridor.
At the commissioning, Gildharie spoke about the challenges in getting the project off the ground, while noting that at one point the shipment of the screens was delayed in Jamaica for over two months. He said that the commissioning of the screens “represents a triumph” for him and his small team.
The former journalist added that while he had the idea, there were challenges with finding the capital to start up. In the end, he was connected to an overseas-based Guyanese investor who provided the startup capital.
The screens are mounted on the overhead walkways at Diamond, the Demerara Harbour Bridge and Houston. There are two screens mounted at Houston.
Pixels Guyana signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Public Works for the utilisation of the overhead walkways.
“Our MoU with the Ministry of Public Works…we had to stand a test to make sure that there was a weight limit on those screens, that it wasn’t affecting traffic. We had to sit down with engineers and jump through all the necessary hoops that we count of and of course we had to sign an agreement also that says we have to maintain the overpass,” Gildharie said.
He noted that the screens have the capability to live stream while also providing 4K high definition visuals for advertisements. Already, several big businesses are making use of the screens by having their advertisements running.
Gildharie added that Pixels Guyana has employed the expertise of several Guyanese technicians in getting the screens ready and installed. He also boasted that the skills of those persons match and in some cases overshadow that of foreigners.
Minister within the Ministry of Public Works Deodat Indar attended the commissioning and he said that the initiative is one that was birthed out of an “entrepreneurial spirit that can be replicated in Guyana.”
“When he [Gildharie] brought it [his idea] to me, I took it to two people – the President and Vice President – and I said Leonard would like to do this, I think it is a great idea. They said I think so too, let’s go ahead and here we are,” Indar said.
He noted that the service that Pixels Guyana provide is one that is much needed and helps commuters to plan their commute in and out of the capital city.
“I believe that the function of your investment is paying dividends, quickly…we do have the capacity but what we have to do is nurture the capacity. We have to give people a chance to either succeed or fail,” Indar said.
Meanwhile, Vice President of the Private Sector Commission Ryan Alexander said that the commission is pleased to know that the initiative is largely Guyanese-owned. He added that it will transform the infrastructure in Guyana while providing a service that is much needed.
Gildharie has expressed the desire to expand the wings of Pixels Guyana and take his service beyond the East Bank corridor.
