OLPF distribution continues- Berbice, ECD and Region 3 residents latest beneficiaries
Georgetown, GINA, January 5, 2012
Source - GINA
The One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) Secretariat is pushing ahead full steam with the distribution of the Haier laptops with the latest beneficiaries being drawn from Cane Grove in Mahaica, Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo and several villages in Berbice.
On Wednesday several Georgetown areas including Lodge, Sophia and Kitty/Campbellville received their devices.
Since the distribution commenced in October last, several thousands of the devices have been given out.
Cane Grove gets first batch
While not all persons who had applied received one today, the first batch of 40 persons comprises single parents, low income, and differently-abled persons’ groups. The second phase of distribution will take in persons in a higher income bracket.
Deon McKenzie receives her laptop from Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall at the Cane Grove NDC
Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, who supervised the distribution, reminded residents that the purpose of the OLPF is to empower Guyanese to compete in a fair and equitable way with others in society. The distribution of one laptop to each Guyanese family will allow them to compete in the technological age.
He assured them that all residents who have applications in the system and meet the criteria will get their computers as the distribution will be continued in stages until each family gets one.
Minister Nandlall urged residents to use the laptops for the purpose for which they were given; to educate and advance themselves.
Minster of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall hands over a laptop to Tandika Gonsalves of Cane Grove, Mahaica
RDC Councillor and Community Leader Chandroutie Ramnarine said that it would be a great help for school children in the community while Deon McKenzie is appreciative of the fact that high school students will now have easier access to the internet to get their research done for assignments and homework.
Tandika Gonsalves is thankful to the Government for the OLPF programme and knows that it will bring great improvement throughout the community. Pointing out that there is a lot of drugs and alcohol use in the community, she posited that the young people will be able to access help and information on these issues via the internet, and this will take them a step forward education wise. Tandika added that on a personal basis, one is never too old to learn, and the computer would give her that extra push.
Neemawattie Baldeo has extended gratitude to the Government of Guyana on behalf of Cane Grove residents. She said without the OLPF it would have taken the community a very long time to get to the level that a laptop per family would bring them.
Region Three beneficiaries
Over 44 Region Three families today received their netbooks at the Pouderoyen Secondary School, West Bank Demerara as the seventh distribution exercise was done in the Region.
Speaking to the recipients, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Ganga Persaud recalled that there were many doubts and questions that were raised in certain sections of society during the conceptualisation of the project; however, he noted that the positive side of it was seen and supported by the larger Guyanese population.
Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Ganga Persaud and Regional Chairman, Region Three, Julius Faerber with some of the laptop recipients at the Pouderoyen Secondary School, West Bank Demerara
“We are so happy that today under the present PPP/C Government, we can continue the distribution of the laptops…the gift to each family is one that will empower families at every sphere of the strata in our society,” Minister Persaud said.
Persons who are not proficient in the use of the computer were urged to attend the training programmes, which are not long and tedious.
Regional Chairman, Region Three, Julius Faerber encouraged the recipients, regardless of age, to use the device as a learning tool so as to improve themselves as the world advances more and more into the digital age.
Region Three laptop beneficiaries reading literature on the use of the devices
Abdul Azeez, one of the recipients, expressed his great enthusiasm at the prospects of his daughter’s education being enhanced as a result of the acquisition of the device.
Meanwhile, Beresford Winter, a grandfather, said that he is very excited to learn to use the computer so that he can communicate with his relatives overseas via the internet.
Berbice villages
Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy on Wednesday was in Berbice, Region 6 where he assisted in the distribution of more than 100 laptops to residents of Alness, who received 33; Canefield, Canje with 51; Skeldon with 67 and Corriverton with 46.
Minister Ramsammy said that it is government’s intention to transform Guyana into one of the most computer literate countries in the Caribbean as it believes that Information Communication Technology (ICT) is the wave of the future, moreso ICT has transformed the mode of operation across the world as information can be accessed in a matter of seconds using this technology.
Marissa Duncan from Alness Village Berbice receives her OLPF laptop from Minister of Agriculture Dr Leslie Ramsammy
“Today the use of ICT creates job opportunities…the Government of Guyana wants to make call centres a business in Guyana that provides jobs for its citizens…for that to be possible we need to ensure that each citizen is computer literate…the OLPF is Government’s first response to addressing that need,” Minister Ramsammy said.
Everett Harewood of Corriverton Development Association, one of the ICT learning hubs, expressed gratitude to the government for the initiative which will positively impact the lives of thousands of Guyanese.
In like manner, beneficiaries were not only thankful for receiving the equipment free of cost, but what mostly impacted them was the fact that they will be trained to use the equipment, all being done free of cost.
Shanelle Sinclair from Canefield, Canje, Berbice receives her OLPF laptop from Minister of Agriculture Dr Leslie Ramsammy
Chandrawattie Chan of Skeldon, Berbice, said that by owning a laptop and having internet connectivity she would no longer be required to find money to send her children to the internet, as they now can access the services free of cost.
The arrival of the first 5000 Haier laptops from China paved the way for start of the distribution phase which saw 1000 being given out last October.
Thus far recipients in Regions 3, 4, 6 and 10 have begun receiving their devices.
ICT is being viewed as a knowledge based sector which has high value in today’s world given the volume of wealth it holds for the future, and it is one of the new sectors expected to generate greater disposable income for Guyanese and lead to the creation of thousands of jobs.
The logical developmental framework of the OLPF creates a digital connection between the individual, the family, the community and the nation and the global village.
Chandrawattie Chan from Skeldon, Berbice receives her OLPF laptop from Minister of Agriculture Dr Leslie Ramsammy
Families joining the programme will inevitably come face to face with the infinite range of opportunities and possibilities for self-development, business and growth that reside in the global marketplace made possible through the world wide-web.
Since the launch of OLPF in January 2011 non-stop efforts are being made to ensure that the process of getting the laptops to those who qualify as easy and as hassle free as possible. The project will see over 90,000 laptops being distributed to families across Guyana by the end of a five-year period.
Georgetown, GINA, January 5, 2012
Source - GINA
The One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) Secretariat is pushing ahead full steam with the distribution of the Haier laptops with the latest beneficiaries being drawn from Cane Grove in Mahaica, Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo and several villages in Berbice.
On Wednesday several Georgetown areas including Lodge, Sophia and Kitty/Campbellville received their devices.
Since the distribution commenced in October last, several thousands of the devices have been given out.
Cane Grove gets first batch
While not all persons who had applied received one today, the first batch of 40 persons comprises single parents, low income, and differently-abled persons’ groups. The second phase of distribution will take in persons in a higher income bracket.
Deon McKenzie receives her laptop from Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall at the Cane Grove NDCMinister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, who supervised the distribution, reminded residents that the purpose of the OLPF is to empower Guyanese to compete in a fair and equitable way with others in society. The distribution of one laptop to each Guyanese family will allow them to compete in the technological age.
He assured them that all residents who have applications in the system and meet the criteria will get their computers as the distribution will be continued in stages until each family gets one.
Minister Nandlall urged residents to use the laptops for the purpose for which they were given; to educate and advance themselves.
Minster of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall hands over a laptop to Tandika Gonsalves of Cane Grove, MahaicaRDC Councillor and Community Leader Chandroutie Ramnarine said that it would be a great help for school children in the community while Deon McKenzie is appreciative of the fact that high school students will now have easier access to the internet to get their research done for assignments and homework.
Tandika Gonsalves is thankful to the Government for the OLPF programme and knows that it will bring great improvement throughout the community. Pointing out that there is a lot of drugs and alcohol use in the community, she posited that the young people will be able to access help and information on these issues via the internet, and this will take them a step forward education wise. Tandika added that on a personal basis, one is never too old to learn, and the computer would give her that extra push.
Neemawattie Baldeo has extended gratitude to the Government of Guyana on behalf of Cane Grove residents. She said without the OLPF it would have taken the community a very long time to get to the level that a laptop per family would bring them.
Region Three beneficiaries
Over 44 Region Three families today received their netbooks at the Pouderoyen Secondary School, West Bank Demerara as the seventh distribution exercise was done in the Region.
Speaking to the recipients, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Ganga Persaud recalled that there were many doubts and questions that were raised in certain sections of society during the conceptualisation of the project; however, he noted that the positive side of it was seen and supported by the larger Guyanese population.
Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Ganga Persaud and Regional Chairman, Region Three, Julius Faerber with some of the laptop recipients at the Pouderoyen Secondary School, West Bank Demerara“We are so happy that today under the present PPP/C Government, we can continue the distribution of the laptops…the gift to each family is one that will empower families at every sphere of the strata in our society,” Minister Persaud said.
Persons who are not proficient in the use of the computer were urged to attend the training programmes, which are not long and tedious.
Regional Chairman, Region Three, Julius Faerber encouraged the recipients, regardless of age, to use the device as a learning tool so as to improve themselves as the world advances more and more into the digital age.
Region Three laptop beneficiaries reading literature on the use of the devicesAbdul Azeez, one of the recipients, expressed his great enthusiasm at the prospects of his daughter’s education being enhanced as a result of the acquisition of the device.
Meanwhile, Beresford Winter, a grandfather, said that he is very excited to learn to use the computer so that he can communicate with his relatives overseas via the internet.
Berbice villages
Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy on Wednesday was in Berbice, Region 6 where he assisted in the distribution of more than 100 laptops to residents of Alness, who received 33; Canefield, Canje with 51; Skeldon with 67 and Corriverton with 46.
Minister Ramsammy said that it is government’s intention to transform Guyana into one of the most computer literate countries in the Caribbean as it believes that Information Communication Technology (ICT) is the wave of the future, moreso ICT has transformed the mode of operation across the world as information can be accessed in a matter of seconds using this technology.
Marissa Duncan from Alness Village Berbice receives her OLPF laptop from Minister of Agriculture Dr Leslie Ramsammy“Today the use of ICT creates job opportunities…the Government of Guyana wants to make call centres a business in Guyana that provides jobs for its citizens…for that to be possible we need to ensure that each citizen is computer literate…the OLPF is Government’s first response to addressing that need,” Minister Ramsammy said.
Everett Harewood of Corriverton Development Association, one of the ICT learning hubs, expressed gratitude to the government for the initiative which will positively impact the lives of thousands of Guyanese.
In like manner, beneficiaries were not only thankful for receiving the equipment free of cost, but what mostly impacted them was the fact that they will be trained to use the equipment, all being done free of cost.
Shanelle Sinclair from Canefield, Canje, Berbice receives her OLPF laptop from Minister of Agriculture Dr Leslie RamsammyChandrawattie Chan of Skeldon, Berbice, said that by owning a laptop and having internet connectivity she would no longer be required to find money to send her children to the internet, as they now can access the services free of cost.
The arrival of the first 5000 Haier laptops from China paved the way for start of the distribution phase which saw 1000 being given out last October.
Thus far recipients in Regions 3, 4, 6 and 10 have begun receiving their devices.
ICT is being viewed as a knowledge based sector which has high value in today’s world given the volume of wealth it holds for the future, and it is one of the new sectors expected to generate greater disposable income for Guyanese and lead to the creation of thousands of jobs.
The logical developmental framework of the OLPF creates a digital connection between the individual, the family, the community and the nation and the global village.
Chandrawattie Chan from Skeldon, Berbice receives her OLPF laptop from Minister of Agriculture Dr Leslie RamsammyFamilies joining the programme will inevitably come face to face with the infinite range of opportunities and possibilities for self-development, business and growth that reside in the global marketplace made possible through the world wide-web.
Since the launch of OLPF in January 2011 non-stop efforts are being made to ensure that the process of getting the laptops to those who qualify as easy and as hassle free as possible. The project will see over 90,000 laptops being distributed to families across Guyana by the end of a five-year period.