Science, technology integral to national development

– Minister Hughes

“The Ministry of Public Telecommunications has focused on creating a liberalised telecommunications environment in which more individuals can enter a lucrative market as entrepreneurs.”  This bold declaration was made by Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes during her address at “TechEd Talk

2017”, at the University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus on Saturday.
The ‘talk on emerging technology’ was facilitated by the Public Telecommunications Ministry.
According to Minister Hughes, the Administration firmly believes that science and technology were an integral part of national development, because of their unique ability to transform the quality of education, health care, infrastructure, agriculture,

and other segments of the modern world.
“Our nation will benefit from the knowledge of how robots can be used to conduct complicated medical surgeries, drill for oil, or upgrade our sea defence infrastructure. And we must not only use the technology but build it ourselves.  You in this room, right here, right now are the innovators who will do just that,” Hughes said.
“We are learning more and more every day about the many benefits that occur when Governments in developed nations actively participate in the development of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS), which can be used, studied and modified by anyone, by implementing e-governance policies that advocate for open standards and public availability for use.”
She underscored that the Ministry encouraged the development of new technology through initiatives like the annual Hackathon and Codesprint competitions. “Education and dissemination of the knowledge of advancements from other places are also extremely important to this process,” she said.
Minister Hughes also revealed that a government fibre-optic network has been established to provide Internet connectivity to 97 high schools, 37 tech-voc schools, as well as Government Ministries and agencies, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) hubs in diverse communities across Guyana.
Hughes firmly re-established the Ministry and the Government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment that would nurture entrepreneurship.
“We will continue to work hard to ensure that ICT provides modern, cutting-edge support to all productive and social sectors, as well as enabling an environment for a strong, sustainable Private Sector that recognises that they will grow when they incorporate your skills and your technological innovations more into the way they develop their businesses…The Ministry of Public Telecommunications is dedicated to working with you, developing new ideas that utilise ICT in order to take this nation to the heights it has the potential to reach.  Only through ICTs will we begin to truly transform our dear land of Guyana,” Minister Hughes said.
According to the Department of Public Information, “Tech-Ed Talk 2017” is designed to foster discussions on emerging technology in the various sectors. Some of the areas covered during the Talk included Machine Learning, Robotics in Education, Tech in Agriculture, Track and Field, Surgery, and Nano Technology.
Additionally, winners of Codesprint 2017, Team Innoys, showcased their app which pushed them ahead of competing developers.