Guyana forges ahead with CARICOM’s satellite communications plans

Last Updated on Friday, 14 March 2025, 21:41 by Writer

Guyana is among Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries that have so far signaled their willingness to be part of a regional satellite communications subscription service with the Spain-headquartered operator, Hispasat, that promises to move confidential data securely and provide critical backup communications in times of disaster.

Secretary General of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU), Rodney Taylor said Guyana, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados were participating in the process. He said the other CARICOM member states would be encouraged to participate to ensure the region benefits. “There is no doubt that Guyana can do this project on its own. It has the capacity, it has the ability but within the context of CARICOM and the spirit of cooperation, we welcome the participation of other countries in the region,” he said.

President of Hispasat, Pedro Duque told the opening of a technical meeting with the CTU and Guyana’s National Data Management Authority at the European Union Ambassador’s residence that the system would allow the region to securely share defense, security, banking, and elections data. “We will use the highest performance satellite technology existing. We also include ground infrastructure that will be located in the CARICOM area to ensure data integrity in all cases,” he said. Mr Duque was keen on converting last February’s signing of a memorandum of understanding with the CTU into a contract.

Mr Taylor said when the CARISAT project is established, CARICOM member states “would have their own backbone that would also provide communications after disasters such as hurricanes and supplement submarine and terrestrial fiber optic cables.”

Prime Minister, Mark Phillips said the technical committee has been tasked to, among other things, assess the region’s satellite connectivity needs for the next 10 years, how best to integrate satellite technology into critical public institutions, and examine the legal, financial, and technical frameworks and lay the groundwork for a shared space infrastructure for CARICOM.

He said the committee would also look beyond immediate connectivity concerns and explore new opportunities—how satellite capabilities can support innovation, how Hispasat’s expertise can help nurture start-ups and new industries, and how regional universities can cultivate a workforce skilled in space technology and digital security. “These ambitions are the foundation of a future where CARICOM nations do not merely consume technology but play a role in shaping its development,” he added.

Through its work, the committee will ensure that Project CONDOSAT (CARISAT) is a transformative force that expands access, fosters economic growth, and builds the infrastructure for a more connected and self-sufficient Caribbean.

Mr Phillips indicated that Guyana was keen on diversifying its partners, even as it rolls out low-orbit satellite Internet connectivity to far-flung regions of the country. ”

“In all this, Guyana also recognises that no single entity, body, or country can achieve digital transformation in isolation. It is through strong partnerships—such as this one with the CTU—that we will realise our shared vision of a fully connected Caribbean, so we thank the CTU for its initiative and hard work in seeking out solutions that will address core regional needs,” he said.

EU Ambassador to Guyana, René Van Nes said the region’s digitalisation plans are part of the EU-Latin American and Caribbean Digital Alliance which Guyana signed in September 2024. “That is an important alliance. This is not where the EU tells you what to do. This is a group of countries that are all faced with similar challenges and they all want to share their experiences on issues like digital policy, Internet governance, artificial intelligence and difficult things like what do you do to protect yourself from cybercrime, how do you introduce this like digital citizenship and the whole digitisation of public services,” he said.

Mr Van Nes said the digitalisation process is assuring governments that “their data is secured; it cannot be manipulated by anyone.”