CABLES for a high speed fibre optic network from Brazil to Corentyne, Berbice, being funded by the Government of Guyana, arrived in the country last week. Project Engineer Alexei Ramotar said the consignment for the 560 kilometres stretch is awaiting clearance by the Customs and Trade Administration, after which testing will begin.
He said installation will start when the acceptance test per reel is completed and the entire project, for the landing and use of the second fibre optic cable in the country, is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2011.
Mr. Ramotar said, with this second system, the terminal site at Lethem as well as repeater sites at Annai, also in the Rupununi; Iwokrama/Kurupukari; Mabura and Linden, will be specially equipped to provide Internet access.
The project will offer high capacity access and, with other Government Information Communications Technology (ICT) programme, allow for the connectivity of these and other areas to secure, stable and high output telecommunication technologies, he explained.
President Bharrat Jagdeo had, in January last, informed the nation that Government was in the process of procuring the necessary infrastructure to facilitate the introduction of a second fibre optic cable from neighbouring Brazil and anticipated its arrival in Georgetown by the second quarter of this year.
He had also expressed the hope that, when the new communication system is in place, all social institutions, including schools, hospitals and Police stations will be connected, as well as many other beneficiaries who cannot afford Internet access.
The Brazil/Guyana fibre optic cable will be dedicated to E-Governance, a term that refers to any government functions or processes that are carried out in digital form on the Internet.
In that system, the aim is to set up a website from which the public (both private citizens and businesses) can find public information, download Government forms and contact Government representatives.
Last week, Ramotar disclosed that the design for the project was done by Government in consultation with engineers from E-Networks (Guyana), Huawei (China) and Oi (Brazil).
The designing led to the specifications of the equipment and cables which had to be manufactured, a process that took three months.
The terminal and repeater sites equipment are being currently manufactured and the connection point will be the Brazil border where a team is working with Globenet on the Brazilian side.
The installation of the fibre optic cables will be done by local civil engineering firms, MMC, Dax Contracting and Dynamic Engineering, using Guyana Power & Light poles where available but buried at other locations.
Installing of the terminal equipment and establishing repeater sites will be done by the Chinese company, Huawei Technologies.
