Prime Minister Mark Phillips has underscored the advancements made in the ICT Access and E-Services for Hinterland, Poor, and Remote Communities Project.
During a board meeting to discuss the project, at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Phillips praised the efforts of the project team given that of the 120 hubs completed, 111 are now fully operational with 118 photovoltaic installations having been completed, a release from his office said.
“We need to give ourselves a pat on the back, a round of applause,” the Prime Minister stated, acknowledging the team’s hard work in overcoming infrastructural challenges in remote areas. He particularly commended Project Manager Ronald Harsawack and his team for their dedication and progress over the last few years.
In terms of financial commitments, the release said that the Government has demonstrated its dedication to the project’s sustainability. Phillips said that a total of $60m was allocated in the 2024 budget for maintenance, with plans to double this amount to $120m for operational costs in 2025. He also announced that the Government, in addition to retrofitting the ICT hubs, has acquired 1000 Low Earth Orbit (LEO) devices to boost internet availability in hinterland communities.
The project’s success extends beyond infrastructure. To date, 141 grants have been signed with Amerindian Village Councils and Community Development Councils to promote local capacity-building, the release said. Additionally, 129 ICT hub managers and 32 ICT technicians have received specialised training, with plans to expand ICT training to 4000 community members by the end of the project.
The project aims to construct an additional 59 ICT hubs, install LEO connections, and expand community-based training initiatives.
Phillips highlighted the project’s evolution since 2020. “When I became Prime Minister, I started inquiring about this project, and then I started getting some information that I consider needed to be interrogated further… When I assumed office in 2020, I found little progress on the ground. Now, we’ve moved from zero hubs to 120 hubs completed, with more communities being connected daily,” he stated.
The Prime Minister countered criticisms: “We have elements from the opposition in Guyana who are using this project to play politics. They are on social media and at press conferences, telling people that we have not achieved anything, that the Hinterland is still to be connected.” He added: “Every day, additional communities are being connected in our hinterland”.
The project, funded by the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF) is being implemented by the Prime Minister’s Office with oversight from the United Nations Development Programme.
The aim is to connect all 200 targeted communities by December 2025.
