Recognizing the role Information and Communication Technology (ICT) plays in development of a country, Guyana’s Ministry of Public Telecommunications believes that the agency has a critical role to play in supporting the country’s emerging oil and gas industry.
Telecommunications Minister, Catherine Hughes, recently announced the establishment of a National Telecommunications Agency – another step in the move towards a more liberalised telecoms sector.
The Minister made the announcement on Monday at her Camp Street ‘Colgrain House’ Office and in an exclusive interview with OilNOW, said, “I think we have a critical role to play,” as she pointed to the state-of-the art use of technology for communications, logistics and other support purposes in the oil and gas industry.
She conceded that ICT is a pre-requisite in the 21st century for any “successful oil industry, for any successful industry in Guyana…we have to have excellent telecommunications facilities…It means that fast, efficient and consistent internet access is a foundation and that’s why in terms of our thrust, we want to make sure that we cover those grounds.”
According to Mrs. Hughes, “When you talk about the oil and gas industry, when you talk about exploration even…we have companies in all locations in Guyana, and therefore at the moment many of them had to establish expensive relations so that they could get the connectivity.”
Noting that the Guyana economy is diverse and that the oil and gas industry, while bringing in higher streams of revenue, will not directly create widespread jobs, Mrs. Hughes told OilNOW ICT must be used in Guyana as a tool for accelerated development.
“So many small companies will tell you today that they are not able to market their companies when they don’t have the sufficient internet,” she said.
She told OilNOW, “We see that in the new industries, including oil and gas, more Guyanese entrepreneurs, more business people, would be able to get involved in joint ventures with foreign partners in any part of the world, but to do that successfully; you must be able to communicate…So I think our Ministry has an incredible and very important role to play.”
Expanding on the critical role of the Public Telecommunications Ministry – given the imminent astronomical increases in Government revenues expected – Minister Hughes said, “Once you can bring the connectivity, once you can have a young person in Paramakatoi that can have the same course, you can study maybe online some kind of training that’s related to the oil and gas sector,…you’re beginning to change the game.”
Stressing the need for local training and the development of local capacity for the industry, she said, “Right now, we acknowledge that because this oil and gas sector is so new to us…we do not have the local skills that we would need.”
She said government continues to roll out its ICT network across the country providing not only government services online but free internet access at dedicated hubs across the country, including hinterland, remote and rural communities.
“The more and more that we can use technology, not only to provide services, but to prepare citizens – the next generation of citizens in Guyana, to grab those opportunities, that’s what we’re doing (at the Ministry of Public Telecommunications).”
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