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Laptop an economic and educational tool- Minister Nandlall - urges Kuru Kururu beneficiaries use it for intended purpose

Georgetown, GINA, December 22, 2011
Source - GINA

Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall presenting a government laptop to a recipient at the Kuru Kururu ICT centre

The recently opened Information Communication Technology centre at Kuru Kururu, Soesdyke was, ideally, the venue for the distribution of 52 of Government’s laptop under its One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) programme. Thousands of families have already been afforded the opportunity to become computer literate since the laptop distribution began in November.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, accompanied by Director of Sport, Neil Kumar and Advisor on Community Development, Odinga Lumumba were at the Soesdyke location to aid in the distribution of the laptops acquired from Haier of China.

Minister Nandlall noted that the laptop programme is a part of government’s initiative to empower Guyanese especially those of a particular income bracket so that they are prepared to deal with the world’s technological advances.

He stressed that it is government’s vision to prepare all Guyanese to meet new challenges through education and, empowering people with the technical resources, skills and assets to meet the demands of the technological age.

Minister Nandlall emphasised that the OLPF programme allows the beneficiaries access to innumerable opportunities aimed at advancing their educational and economic status.
He indicated that a laptop is an economic and educational instrument and urged that they use it for its intended purpose and care for it.

Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall and Director of Sport, Neil Kumar sharing a moment with the Kuru Kururu/Kuru Kuru laptop beneficiaries

The Minister urged the beneficiaries to notify the OLPF Secretariat if they encounter difficulties with the device in order to have the problem rectified.

The first batch of 1000 Guyanese received their laptops from the OLPF’s brainchild, former President Bharat Jagdeo in November. The distribution process continued thereafter at 67 hubs spread across the country.

On Wednesday, the distribution process was taken to Regions 3 and 6 with the recipients subsequently commencing their training sessions.

Minister of Housing and Water Irfaan Ali and Local Government and Regional Development Ganga Persaud were in Region 3 at the West Demerara Secondary School to oversee the process and offer words of advice to the beneficiaries from Pouderoyen and Versailles.

In Region 6, Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy was at Number 54 Village where he assisted in distributing laptops.

Beneficiaries at all the locations were effusive in their appreciation for the instrument, noting that it will elevate their status.

Laptop beneficiaries in the Kuru Kururu ICT centre as they listen to Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall

One elderly Region Six beneficiary said, “ I feel great… this will help me know more about what is happening not only in Guyana but the world over. I was looking forward for it for a long time and I thank God that it’s come…I want to give praise to the Government for making available this laptop.”

The OLPF programme, which was launched in January 2011 targets 90,000 families, has the ultimate goal of ensuring that all Guyanese have access to ICT thereby transforming Guyana into one of the most computer literate countries.

The first batch of 5000 laptops arrived in Guyana in October thereby paving the way for Guyanese to start receiving their laptops and commence training. Over 8000 have already been given out.

The project is the materialization of a promise made by government to pursue advancements in the ICT sector to ensure that a greater majority of citizens have access to the internet, computers and become computer literate.

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