A US-based company says it has entered into discussions with local hardware providers to establish wireless systems in Guyana that will complement the government’s One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) programme.
“Monogram Energy Inc’s aka Marquis Tech Holdings, Inc.’s Astrolobe Technology has entered into discussions with hardware providers for its latest wireless project in Guyana,” a release from the company said.
The company is set to have several meetings scheduled over the next two to three weeks “where it plans to find the right match for its unique needs.” “Terrain and weather conditions have a serious impact on electronic infrastructures, so it is important the Company has [the] right match,” the release stated. The names of the hardware providers were not identified in the release.
“This is the first of a series of steps the company will be taking this quarter to build out the infrastructure which it says “will transform the city and complement the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) programme recently launched in Guyana,” the release said.
Government hopes to distribute 90,000 computers to poor families in two years. Phase one, which is being executed this year, is supposed to see 50,000 of these instruments being given to priority groups, which include single-parent, differently-abled and least fortunate families. The administration is also investing in a fibre-optic cable from Brazil, which is supposed to be used for e-governance as well as to increase access to bandwidth. Increased internet access has been touted by President Bharrat Jagdeo as one of the keys to making the OLPF successful.
Saratu Phillips, the CEO of Marquis Tech Holdings said in the release that “the timing is actually perfect for this project.” “The majority of our target city has been priced out of internet services for quite some time now. We are going to be offering a product which is roughly half the price of what is currently being offered in the area,” he said. “Combine that, with the initiatives which the country is currently undertaking to ensure that ordinary Guyanese could have access to information, and you will see the potential of this project,” he added.
The company has retained a top consultant to spearhead the project, the release said. This consultant previously worked on the major wireless network currently servicing Georgetown, it added. According to Phillips: “It just makes sense at this point. As we expand business divisions, it is important to ensure each project is getting the attention it needs to become a success.
He has in-depth experience working on the largest wireless network in the country, and so far has exceeded my expectations. We are happy to have him aboard.”
Marquis Tech Holdings Inc., the release said, is currently in the process of building a successful portfolio of revenue generating technology and real estate assets. The company’s philosophy “is to acquire domestic and international companies which possess an inherent competitive edge whether it is derived through written law, intellectual property, or government contracts and inject the capital necessary to maximise earnings while pooling resources and managing the logistics to ensure all acquisitions operate in efficient harmony.”
