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Aug 21, 2011 AFC Column, Features / Columnists
By Gerhard Ramsaroop
The AFC would like to reiterate its position that the PPP’s insistence on spending six billion dollars on 90,000 laptops – under the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) initiative – is far from the best approach to “preparing our people for a brighter future”. We call on the Government, with immediate effect, to shelve this waste of taxpayer monies and enter into a national discussion to chart the best way forward. Toward this, the AFC will submit its alternate plan.
In summary, the AFC’s plan will hit two birds with one stone. We will tie the computerisation of Government agencies throughout the length and breadth of Guyana to the establishment of Telecentres. A Telecentre is a public place where people can access computers, the internet, and other digital technologies, that enable them to gather information, create, learn, and communicate with others while they develop essential digital skills (Wikipedia).
While there are various models for Telecentres, sustainability remains a core issue. Tying Government functions to the Telecentres will help guarantee sustainability in Guyana. The AFC’s plan, as much as possible, will utilise existing infrastructure as found in RDC and NDC offices, schools, community centres and churches for the establishment of telecentres. Existing security and janitorial services can then be incorporated as well. This way, the cost of setting up telecentres will be kept to a minimum.
Desktop computers are generally cheaper than their laptop equivalents. Further, desktops can be configured to serve thin clients, which simply consist of a keyboard and screen that are plugged into another computer, allowing for one computer to be used by several users at the same time.
In Guyana desktops are selling for G$60,000 or US$300, and this same US$300 desktop has much more power than a US$300 laptop, allowing for three or more thin clients. This means when we use thin clients it will cost at most, half as much per computer. Therefore, the three billion dollars (or more) that would be wasted under the PPP can now go, among other things, toward school feeding programmes and providing transportation for our students, especially in the hinterland.
Desktops too, are generally less prone to damage, easier and cheaper to repair and upgrade than laptops. Laptop parts range in cost from 50 to 500% more than the equivalent desktop parts and, parts specific to a particular laptop model, such as keyboards, motherboards and screens go out of production quickly – sometimes within months – as new models are churned out.
On the other hand, these parts for desktops remain standard for years. Thin clients can also be added as needed, and so deploying these in Telecentres would allow for greater flexibility and responsiveness to the needs of communities.
Critically, under the AFC plan, the import of desktop computers by the Guyana Government will be halted immediately, and ordered from local manufacturers instead. This will instantly create thousands of jobs, with most going to our young people. Priority, after a transparent tendering process will be given to manufacturers within the region. Where there are no manufacturers, clauses will be introduced in contracts requiring persons within that region to be feasibly involved.
Maintenance contracts will be also issued, again giving priority to persons within the region, thereby creating even more employment. At the consultancy level, the AFC will mandate local participation as well.
An AFC Government will not paternalistically impose projects on our people. We will ensure too that whenever taxpayer money is spent, it is to the maximum benefit of the communities and not to the fattening of outside contractors as we see all too often today.
Importantly too, given that the AFC plan is much cheaper by some three billion dollars, we can buy printers, scanners, digital cameras, flash drives, and other peripherals, and critically, power protection equipment as well.
In regard to power protection, laptops generally suffer more damage than desktops from electrical disturbances often rendering them unfeasible to repair. Electrical disturbances, as we know only too well, occur regularly throughout Guyana, with the outlying areas generally being the worst affected.
On the OLPF form, the requirement for ICT hubs is but a voltage regulator which offers no additional protection to the regulating capability already built in to laptop power adapters. Laptops require surge protection which can only be provided by line conditioners or surge protectors using electrical points that are wired to code and cleanly grounded. Once again this illustrates the poor planning and short-sightedness in the PPP’s OLPF.
At Telecentres, power issues can be largely mitigated. Additionally, with printers, scanners, etc, many business opportunities, especially for our young people will be created. For example in designing and producing invitations, funeral programmes, advertisements, business cards, brochures, etc.
This would be in addition to Government work such as the computerisation of records and data entry, which will be given to the people in the community. Data collection, such as tracking demographic changes between censuses, will be commissioned under the AFC plan as well. Employment opportunities will also be created for permanent trainers, with many going to our women – especially mothers in the community who can work part-time.
With 24-hour security it means the computers can be accessible at all times and this will be a great boon, especially to students. Security cameras transmitting remotely can be deployed to increase security. To generate additional income and increase sustainability, persons from outside the community can be required to pay for using the computers. The use of printers, scanners, etc, will however, be paid for by everyone, including community members.
Under the PPP’s OLPF, none of the aforementioned benefits can be realised, and further, it will saddle those who can least afford it with the burden of having to buy power protection equipment, printers, flash drives, batteries when they die, not to mention the high cost of repairs should anything become damaged.Then there is the issue of theft, for which the working class would be least equipped against, and worst affected by the burden of repaying for the laptop.
The AFC’s plan does take into consideration however, that where the population density is too low to sustain telecentres, it will require the distribution of laptops in those areas. Unlike the PPP’s OLPF, provision will be made for power protection and peripherals such as printers, scanners, flash drives, etc. This embodies the AFC’s approach to development in Guyana. It is what we call the portfolio approach, whereby we employ a mix of solutions, rather than the silver bullet approach of the PPP, which relies on a single solution.
In conclusion, given the constant cries of our young people for jobs and the need to get the most value for our money, we consider the PPP’s OLPF as overly expensive and ultimately wasteful in the long run. On the other hand, the opportunities and employment created by the AFC plan will allow persons to not only buy their own laptops, but will ensure too they are equipped with the requisite skills to succeed. It is only through our young people that Guyana’s potential will be realised. The AFC understands that.
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