Just three months after receiving the COVID-19 relief fund, residents of Kumu Village, Central Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), on Friday commissioned their first ICT hub valued at $3 million.
The Kumu ICT hub (Photo credit: Department of Public Information)
The hub, which was constructed by the residents, comprises computers, electronic tablets, internet connections, a printer, a smart television and security cameras.
According to the village’s Former Senior Councillor, Emric Francis, the hub will allow for the continuity of learning for the students since face-to-face teaching has been substituted for online classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He added, that other members of the community will also be granted access to the facility.
Public Works Minister Juan Edghill said the ICT project is part of the Government’s strategy to provide equal opportunities to the residents in the hinterland.
“Our commitment is that in every Amerindian community this will be duplicated. The communities have to undertake the construction, the communities have to take ownership,” he explained.
Minister Edghill also commended the residents for the swift construction of the facility, adding that the Kumu villagers have set an ideal example for residents of other remote villages.
The Community Support Officers operating the computers and tablets (Photo credit: Department of Public Information)
“You will sell your product; your teachers will be able to do their CPCE [Cyril Potters College of Education] course. The [President] Irfaan Ali’s 20,000 online scholarships, you will be able to benefit from those opportunities right here in your village you don’t have to travel Georgetown,” the Minister told the residents.
The Hub is expected to be operated by the Village Council along with the Community Support Officers who are slated to be trained in ICT in the coming weeks.
In January of this year, the Government had distributed a total of $1.73 billion from its COVID-19 relief fund which was divided across the hinterland regions. The initiative was aimed at revitalising Amerindian and hinterland economies as the COVID-19 pandemic prevails.
During the disbursing of funds, Region Nine was the recipient of $454 million which, according to the Government, is to be used to create ICT hubs and infrastructure development projects along with income-generating projects to mitigate the hardships faced by communities.
Among the other recipients were Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), Eight (Potaro- Siparuni) and 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
