Govt in barter deal to fix fibre optic cable

Last Updated on Wednesday, 22 April 2015, 2:34 by GxMedia

The Guyana government appeared to have bartered rehabilitation of the Lethem-Georgetown state-owned fibre-optic cable in exchange for several pairs of the cable to a contracting company.

The duration of the contract was not disclosed.

Office of the President was quoted by the Government Information Agency (GINA) as saying that one source had estimated that the 20 percent damage to the estimated 600 kilometer cable would have cost US$28 million to repair.

Government said the “no-cost” option would see Dax Contracting Services rehabilitating the cable fully according to international standards and maintaining the cable for the life of the contract period. The Office of the President further says that Dax Contracting Services would be provided with an agreed upon number of pairs of fibres in the cable, which has twelve pairs.

 A Dax Contracting Services source has estimated repairs to cost about US$10 million. The work began on April 19, 2015 and end around October, 2015.

A senior official of Dax has told Demerara Waves Online News that the steel-armoured cable has been already run properly along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

The E-Government project will comprise a data centre, a transmission network and data network. The data or control centre, is to be housed in the compound of Castellani House.

Government had announced that the connection would eventually allow for, in addition to connectivity, a range of services such as “E-Health” allowing for video consultation, and movement of information to and from health centres.

Authorities say security will also benefit, as the project would allow quick transmission of information, including video and data among police stations. The project intends to enable the setting up of an “E-library” which would allow for access to textbooks and other teaching aids, via the internet.