High-speed Internet access to hinterland over US$2m annually

Last Updated on Tuesday, 20 May 2025, 20:09 by Writer

The Guyana government is spending US$2.1 million annually to provide internet access to remote Indigenous Amerindian communities, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo told the National Toshaos Conference which continued on Tuesday.

“We have put internet in many of these communities; the high-speed internet in over 600 places in the hinterland villages, and every year, this will cost us now to pay the monthly cost of US$2.1 million,” he said.

Guyana has approved Elon Musk’s Starlink to provide internet service via low-orbiting satellites.

Mr Jagdeo said that with improved internet access at the several hubs, access to university education has become a reality.

“With the hubs, now, that we are putting in place, every child, every adult in every Amerindian village in this country can access university education without leaving your village,” he added.

The Health Ministry has been using that internet service to deliver telemedicine, remote diagnostic and treatment services to remote communities.

In what sounded like an election campaign speech, Mr Jagdeo listed several health, education and electricity projects and programmes, among others, that had been delivered to Indigenous Amerindian communities in contrast to the People’s National Congress Reform-led coalition of A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change.

“We have to compare records. This is election year. An election will be announced. What are they going to go to the communities and tell people? ‘Oh! We love you now’. They didn’t show up in the last five years and the five years when they were in office, they hardly showed up,” said Mr Jagdeo who is also the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party.

In addition to solar energy lighting facilities that had cost the treasury US$8.3 million, he said another 7,000 units at a cost of US$1.9 million would be supplied.