[www.inewsguyana.com] – Following damning criticisms from the main opposition – A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) – about his skills and qualifications as it relates to the E – Governance Project, Alexei Ramotar (Son of President Donald Ramotar) has made it clear that he would have been better compensated in Canada or another country in the region, when compared to the $650,000 salary he receives in Guyana.
Ramotar is the Project Manager for the E – Governance Project and recently came in for heavy criticisms from the APNU’s Joseph Harmon on the management of the project. Harmon had also questioned the young man’s qualifications.
In response during a TV interview, Ramotar said that he is responsible for designing, implementing and scheduling of the project. The young man made it clear that it was an act of patriotism that made him return to Guyana to work.
He is of the view that the APNU should have asked him directly about the project, rather than making public statements. He explained that he is disappointed in the manner in which the APNU has addressed the issue given his continued openness to discuss the project.
“They could have called us and asked up specifically about it, the fact that they went out there and published questions, they made a press statement and asked questions in the National Assembly which is slightly unusual I think shows that it was a political issue,” contended Mr. Ramotar.
“They wanted to make a political issue out of it. So that was a bit disappointing, that’s the way they went. On the other hand, the information we give is for the benefit of all Guyanese.”
In relation to his qualifications, he said that he has over a decade of work experience in network engineering, a degree in Computer Science from the University of Guyana and a Masters in Mathematics from the University of Waterloo, Canada.
“I have experience in telecommunications in terms of how the systems operate, value services and so forth,” explained the Project Manager, “ So I have a pretty broad experience in not only implementing, but also, for designing networks, both for telecoms and wide area networks.”
Mr. Ramotar noted that with his qualifications and his training he opted to return to Guyana to serve given the possibilities for ICT in the development of youth.
“It’s a little patriotism I guess, to come back to Guyana and assist,” he noted. “I was looking forward to the ICT Project in 2006, that’s when I was graduating from University and Guyana had just finished its ICT Strategy Paper, so I knew that there was an interest in Guyana to develop ICT and believe ICT is a way for Youth Development in Guyana.”
