Connectivity has now been made easier for residents of Moruca Sub-District in Region One as a high-speed internet service has been officially commissioned in the area by the National Data Management Authority (NMDA).
This new service utilises low-earth orbiting satellite platforms that produce high-speed internet connection. It aims to bridge the digital divide in the hinterland, remote, and rural communities.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony of the new internet service at the Kamwatta Primary School on Tuesday, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips emphasised the need to improve the overall connectivity in the region.
“We are in phase one of the roll-out period and our intention is to connect 53 communities in this region during this phase and that is expected to be done within the month of July. We are currently at 33 communities,” he disclosed.
After the 20 more communities are connected, the second phase will commence in the other villages.
In the Moruca Sub-District alone, 23 facilities have already been connected to the high-speed internet. These facilities include Information and Communications Technology (ICT) hubs, schools, and health centres among other important organisations.
The prime minister explained that the PPP\C government remains committed to bringing development to all residents and bridging the development gap between the coastland, and the hinterland.
“We will connect every Guyanese to the future. So, every community will be connected digitally…You will do better… in terms of education, health, agriculture, and those other crucial areas that are being developed…” the prime minister asserted.
He encouraged beneficiaries of the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL), scholarships to take advantage of the efficient service. Other students and teachers will also be able to conduct research, assignments, and projects in a much timelier manner.
The Ministry of Health’s Telemedicine Programme will also benefit tremendously from this service.
The prime minister also commissioned the Kamwatta ICT Hub in the region. The hub will complement the new high-speed service.
Additionally, the General Manager of NDMA Christopher Deen stated that soon training would be conducted to equip the residents with proper internet etiquette.
“We intend to conduct a programme [which] will see you train on how to have proper internet hygiene, [and] proper cyber hygiene. Not every message or advertisement which you see is intended for your own well-being…You need to be very careful with how you utilise this service,” the general manager explained.
Meanwhile, the Project Manager of the ICT Access and E-services for Hinterland, Poor, and Remote Communities Programme, Ronald Harsawack noted in Kamwatta alone, there are three free high-speed internet connectivity. “In government, we recognised that infrastructure is very important to these communities. But we also believe in building human resource capacities because that goes hand-in-hand with the infrastructural work that we have been doing to close the digital divide,” Harsawack stated. (DPI)
