Numerous ministries, agencies linked to E-Government network in 2016

GINA, GUYANA, Thursday, December 22, 2016

Several ministries and agencies have been added to the E-Governance project for the year 2016. This was disclosed by Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes while defending her Ministry’s 2017 budget estimates in the National Assembly on Wednesday.

Minister Hughes said that the Government is connecting a series of ministries to the E- Government Network through fiber optics. The objective is to improve the quality of social services, to fight crime, to boost the standard of education, to promote digital literacy, and provide an Information Communications Technology (ICT) path, Minister Hughes stated

“The plan is part of Government’s plan to generally foster development and a higher-based knowledge society,” Minister Hughes said.

According to the Minister, activation of the E-Governance programme increases Government’s and the country’s capability to make Internet connectivity available to all citizens in the city, other parts of the coastland, and inland communities.

Minister Hughes in responding to a question by Opposition Member of Parliament, Joseph Hamilton as to when the other Ministries will be added to the network, said that in 2017 they will be linked.

Additionally the phase that will enable citizens’ interaction with agencies will also be implemented in 2017.

Among the ministries and agencies that have already been added to the E- Governance network are:

• Ministry of Natural Resources
• Ministry of Agriculture
• Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA)
• Ministry of Public Infrastructure
• Ministry of Legal Affairs
• Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA)
• Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC)
• Parliament Office
• Ministry of Business
• Guyana Police Force headquarters
• Youth and Sports -Ministry of Education Annex
• Ministry of Finance
• Ministry of Public Security
• Ministry of Education
• Ministry of Public Health
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Ministry of the Presidency
• Ministry of Public Telecommunications
• Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs
• Ministry of Social Protection
• Ministry of Communities
• Department of Public Service
• Citizens Security Programme and
• The Arthur Chung Convention Centre

The multi-million-dollar E-Governance project hit controversy when the fibre-optic cable that was supposed to link the coastland to Brazil was scrapped as a result of technical faults. This was under  the previous administration.

 

By: Gabreila Patram