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Former Member
First shipment of 27,000 laptops arrive -- another batch expected by year end in OLPF programme

Written by Shirley Thomas
Saturday, 29 October 2011 03:07
Source - Guyana Chronicle

Minister Manzoor Nadir, at right, with Sesh Sukhdeo and Brian James with one of the just arrived Haier laptops

GOVERNMENT’S ‘One Laptop Per Family’ (OLPF) Project, which promises the free distribution of laptops to 90 Guyanese families over a two-year period, is all set for a marathon kick-off within another week, with the arrival of the first consignment of 27,000 laptops in the country yesterday.

According to Minister of Labour Manzoor Nadir, another consignment is due before the end of the year, effectively taking the number, expected to be delivered in 2011, to 50,000 laptops.

Minister Nadir was at the time heading a team of senior OLOF officials briefing the media, on the OLPF Project, minutes after the computers were off-loaded at the Laparkan Warehouse, Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri.

Nadir, who said that the project is geared to deliver 50,000 laptops to families in Guyana by the end of this year, expressed satisfaction that, the first consignment arrived in Guyana on time, in keeping with a commitment made to the government by the suppliers, Haier, of China. After the agreement with the first company identified to deliver the laptops failed, Haiier was contracted, and promised to deliver the items within 60 days, or before the end of October, 2011.

Others on hand with the minister to receive the computers were Managing Director of Auto Supplies Company, Brian James, contractor with responsibility for the maintenance of the computers; Mr. Sesh Sukhdeo, Chief Executive Officer of the OLPF Project; OLPF’s Public Relations Consultant, Dario Mc Klmon; and Public Relations Assistant, Nia Phill.

The laptops being unloaded from the aircraft at CJIA.

Of the arrival of the laptops yesterday, Minister Nadir said it was a very momentous occasion, adding “After the first tender was abandoned, we gave a commitment that the launch of the OLPF would not be delayed, and that the laptops would be in Guyana by October. He recalled that the OLPF programme was the brainchild of President Bharrat Jagdeo who gave the commitment that the first 50,000 computers would be rolled out to Guyanese families before the end of 2011.

Nadir said the first 50,000 laptops are valued at US$1.4M or G$280M and that distribution of the first set would commence by next Friday. Boasting that the process is being rolled out very meticulously and with the latest technology, he assured that government would be employing a cadre of young, brilliant and highly professional staff whose responsibility will be to train persons receiving the computers, in the use of the equipment.

Noting that the OLPF is today the single largest programme for volunteerism and for community cooperation that ever has been rolled out in this country, Minister Nadir said that almost 600 people will be employed by the programme, and more than 1,200 persons will be volunteering their time as well.

“This will have an enormous impact on the mentality of our people in terms of continuing the great tradition they have of sharing whatever they have – knowledge and also wealth,” he affirmed.

As of next week Friday, 35 hubs or learning centres will be operational across eight regions of the country. The two not involved will be Regions Eight and Nine, which now face challenges of access to electricity and constant internet connectivity, he said.

One of the 27,000 laptops that arrived yesterday

Albeit, plans are afoot for these needs to be met. But in the interim, the minister assured, the hubs will proceed to train the recipients and each will be trained for a minimum of eight hours. For those hubs with electricity and Internet access, even after the training is completed, laptop recipients and their families can return o the centres to use the facilities free of cost. He said it is government’s intention that every Amerindian village will have, if not laptops, a hub being operated 24 hours with constant electricity.

And just who will be the first recipients? The minister emphasized that the first set of persons targeted will be single parents, families with a person/persons with disability; and persons earning less than $50,000 per month. So far, in excess of 19,000 applicants’ criteria have been checked and verified by a cadre of verification officers working in the field.

Meanwhile, the Labour Minister used the forum to assure the public that this is just the beginning of the project, and not the end.

“I want to assure you members of the public that this is not the end. It is the beginning of the first 27,000 laptops which the Government has provided, and already the Chinese Government has a tender that has been awarded for 31,000 laptops for 5M Yuan or US$8.5 M, and that an additional 31,000 laptops will be here before the end of the year,” he declared.

And recalling that there were many skeptics out there who felt that the programme could never materialize, Minister Nadir declared: “We want to re-emphasize that this thing is about bringing more and better knowledge to Guyanese families. This is not about giving an instrument because elections are one month away from today.”

Nadir also assured the public that persons who lose their laptop computers will not be made to pay for them, but will be required to wait until 90,000 families are served before they can get a replacement.

Meanwhile, Brian James, Managing Director of Auto Supplies, and who is representing Haier, said that his company has been awarded the maintenance contract, has already set up a depot and service centre in Middle Street, and employed service technicians. Additionally four Haier technicians will arrive here next week to provide technical services.

He assured that Haier has a less than 1% failure rate worldwide, and his company does not envisage problems with the laptops.

Meanwhile, Sesh Sukhdeo, Chief Executive Officer of the OLPF, expressed satisfaction that the first shipment of computers has arrived.

Last Updated ( Saturday, 29 October 2011 03:12 )

Replies sorted oldest to newest

quote:
Minister Nadir declared: “We want to re-emphasize that this thing is about bringing more and better knowledge to Guyanese families. This is not about giving an instrument because elections are one month away from today.”



Agree. This project was in the making to bring betterment to Guyanese families and this is what the PPP/C is all about. Giving to the community what it needs for progress and prosperity.
C
quote:
Originally posted by Catherine:
quote:
Minister Nadir declared: “We want to re-emphasize that this thing is about bringing more and better knowledge to Guyanese families. This is not about giving an instrument because elections are one month away from today.”



Agree. This project was in the making to bring betterment to Guyanese families and this is what the PPP/C is all about. Giving to the community what it needs for progress and prosperity.
Handing laptops to people ignorant of how to use it and not having a support infrastructure in place typifies the manner in which the PPP does things. Had they said these laptops were for every child entering high school, every teacher, and had well establish sites where support was a keystroke away there could be some benefit to this. You don't give hammers to individuals and assume they will be using it to become carpenters. Most of these machines be useless doorstops in short order.
FM
When you don't have a Jet Plain, learn how to make do with the Helicopter.

They both travel different distances, but a start is excellent in the journey of learning and growth...

You may not have a Cadillac, but a Chevy will do for now.

More to come... not to worry.
C
quote:
Originally posted by Catherine:
When you don't have a Jet Plain, learn how to make do with the Helicopter.

They both travel different distances, but a start is excellent in the journey of learning and growth...

You may not have a Cadillac, but a Chevy will do for now.

More to come... not to worry.
The analogy is silly. You take care of the simple things then the large things fall in place. There should be an established software list and support site in place where a push button can auto recover an entire laptop given its model number. That is process not lack especial technical sophistication.

The people getting them the first time ought to be those who need and the metrics for selecting them ought not to be an economic bench mark. Every high school children should have one. Every primary student should have one and every primary school should have a computer lab. All high schools should have been interconnected and computing skills as formal subjects part of the curriculum.

It is not the computers it is the program in place to make the people technically savvy so they can access the information network. Also PCs are on their way out. Tablets with a variety of Linux flavored OS is replacing them and most data will have a repository in the cloud somewhere.
FM
quote:
Originally posted by D2:
quote:
Originally posted by Catherine:
quote:
Minister Nadir declared: “We want to re-emphasize that this thing is about bringing more and better knowledge to Guyanese families. This is not about giving an instrument because elections are one month away from today.”



Agree. This project was in the making to bring betterment to Guyanese families and this is what the PPP/C is all about. Giving to the community what it needs for progress and prosperity.
Handing laptops to people ignorant of how to use it having a support infrastructure in place typifies the manner in which the PPP does things. Had they said these laptops were for every child entering high school, every teacher, and had well establish sites where support was a keystroke away there could be some benefit to this. You don't give hammers to individuals and assume they will be using it to become carpenters. Most of these machines be useless doorstops in short order.


D2 the begining of your response is condesending people learn,you claimed you can repair a car to a tv,you were ignorant about how to repair a car or tv until you learn how to do it.
Django
quote:
Originally posted by D2:
quote:
Originally posted by Catherine:
quote:
Minister Nadir declared: “We want to re-emphasize that this thing is about bringing more and better knowledge to Guyanese families. This is not about giving an instrument because elections are one month away from today.”



Agree. This project was in the making to bring betterment to Guyanese families and this is what the PPP/C is all about. Giving to the community what it needs for progress and prosperity.
Handing laptops to people ignorant of how to use it and not having a support infrastructure in place typifies the manner in which the PPP does things. Had they said these laptops were for every child entering high school, every teacher, and had well establish sites where support was a keystroke away there could be some benefit to this. You don't give hammers to individuals and assume they will be using it to become carpenters. Most of these machines be useless doorstops in short order.


Even the Amerindian Kids will benefit, trust a dummy like you to put a spoke in the wheel for their betterment.

Did your head land on a concrete when you were born......if so that explains why it is so messed up.

.
FM
Guyana kids are smart. Why do people think they are all illiterate cane cutters?
Many kids in Guyana already go to school with laptops. They are probably smarter than most dumb ass Americans.
TI
quote:
Originally posted by D2:
quote:
Originally posted by Catherine:
When you don't have a Jet Plain, learn how to make do with the Helicopter.

They both travel different distances, but a start is excellent in the journey of learning and growth...

You may not have a Cadillac, but a Chevy will do for now.

More to come... not to worry.
The analogy is silly. You take care of the simple things then the large things fall in place. There should be an established software list and support site in place where a push button can auto recover an entire laptop given its model number. That is process not lack especial technical sophistication.

The people getting them the first time ought to be those who need and the metrics for selecting them ought not to be an economic bench mark. Every high school children should have one. Every primary student should have one and every primary school should have a computer lab. All high schools should have been interconnected and computing skills as formal subjects part of the curriculum.

It is not the computers it is the program in place to make the people technically savvy so they can access the information network. Also PCs are on their way out. Tablets with a variety of Linux flavored OS is replacing them and most data will have a repository in the cloud somewhere.


D2, your comment becomes credible only if the only path to knowledge is via the Internet - access to information in the cloud.

You're looking for telecommunications infrastructure that would provide the ramp to Internet access. That's a basic goal of any developing country, and Guyana is not an exception.


There has to be support systems and manufacturer's warranty coverage; so I'm sure this is not an issue.

Now back to acquiring and exercising knowledge. Before the explosion of the Internet software developers were writing code. Let's remove all Internet access from the Guyanese computer user, do you still think a laptop device would be useless? Also, I can tell you that even though Ii have a tablet computer - the Ipad2 - and the Citrix Receiver to access the corporate network (and yes, our information assets live in our private cloud), you cannot exercise the productivity tools that traditional mouse and keyboard input provides you. Now with the newer programing language and web applications maybe soon we can have context-sensitive pages that allow touch input and not requiring mouse and keyboard input. But for the next 3 years those laptops would still have value.
Kari
quote:
Originally posted by Kari:
quote:
Originally posted by D2:
quote:
Originally posted by Catherine:
When you don't have a Jet Plain, learn how to make do with the Helicopter.

They both travel different distances, but a start is excellent in the journey of learning and growth...

You may not have a Cadillac, but a Chevy will do for now.

More to come... not to worry.
The analogy is silly. You take care of the simple things then the large things fall in place. There should be an established software list and support site in place where a push button can auto recover an entire laptop given its model number. That is process not lack especial technical sophistication.

The people getting them the first time ought to be those who need and the metrics for selecting them ought not to be an economic bench mark. Every high school children should have one. Every primary student should have one and every primary school should have a computer lab. All high schools should have been interconnected and computing skills as formal subjects part of the curriculum.

It is not the computers it is the program in place to make the people technically savvy so they can access the information network. Also PCs are on their way out. Tablets with a variety of Linux flavored OS is replacing them and most data will have a repository in the cloud somewhere.


D2, your comment becomes credible only if the only path to knowledge is via the Internet - access to information in the cloud.

You're looking for telecommunications infrastructure that would provide the ramp to Internet access. That's a basic goal of any developing country, and Guyana is not an exception.


There has to be support systems and manufacturer's warranty coverage; so I'm sure this is not an issue.

Now back to acquiring and exercising knowledge. Before the explosion of the Internet software developers were writing code. Let's remove all Internet access from the Guyanese computer user, do you still think a laptop device would be useless? Also, I can tell you that even though Ii have a tablet computer - the Ipad2 - and the Citrix Receiver to access the corporate network (and yes, our information assets live in our private cloud), you cannot exercise the productivity tools that traditional mouse and keyboard input provides you. Now with the newer programing language and web applications maybe soon we can have context-sensitive pages that allow touch input and not requiring mouse and keyboard input. But for the next 3 years those laptops would still have value.
I never made the statement that the internet is the only path to knowledge. I said it is the most efficient means to support a distributed system of learning that is formal, standardized and targeted. After all these laptops are not handed out as novelty items.

I am looking at it as a means to bootstrap children with no access to a broad cross section of academic texts, and to teachers who need a feed back loop and to staff who need to support, repair and even replace these machines. I do not know the stats but with a 1 sigma failure rate and you have lots of stranded people.

PC in general are on their way out. The standard OS is trending towards linux flavors as Android since they are lean, mean and free. Computing is changing. Most of us can plop down our tablets and use a mouse or a pen when necessary. I also have an Ipad2 and use a stylus with it to design. I have it in an aluminum case with a keyboard built in plus a hyper drive for add on's. It so happens it is not my favorite multifunction tablet. I like the galaxy better for that. From it is can see where computing is going the tablet route quickly.
FM
quote:
Originally posted by kwaku:
Whatever else is said, it can't be denied that this is one good election ploy by the PPP, timed just right. Let us see how much it helps them.



In as much as you can be right in critiquing the PPP, I think cynicism in the laptop situation is an over-reach and would stretch one's credulity....so let's leave it there; and I say this as someone who's not enamored by this current crop of PPP leadership.
Kari
quote:
Originally posted by D2:
PC in general are on their way out. The standard OS is trending towards linux flavors as Android since they are lean, mean and free. Computing is changing. Most of us can plop down our tablets and use a mouse or a pen when necessary. I also have an Ipad2 and use a stylus with it to design. I have it in an aluminum case with a keyboard built in plus a hyper drive for add on's. It so happens it is not my favorite multifunction tablet. I like the galaxy better for that. From it is can see where computing is going the tablet route quickly.



D2, Physical PCs may be on their way out, I grant you. But in corporate America, a PC not tethered to a physical device (a Virtual Desktop) is the next paradigm. As soon as CapEx is justified, OpEx will drop precipitously.


For the consumer market, yes, tablet would be one of other form-factor devices. It's not as portable as the smartphones, but sitting on the couch watching TV, the Tablet wifi medium is a good compliment. The key about the tablet though is how it knocked off the netbook phenomenon and is making inroads in the laptop space. But like everything else in Technology there might come along some other device that would render the tablet obsolete too.
Kari
What an assnine statement. People in Guyana know how to use Computers better than an old FART like you.
quote:
Originally posted by D2:
quote:
Originally posted by Catherine:
quote:
Minister Nadir declared: “We want to re-emphasize that this thing is about bringing more and better knowledge to Guyanese families. This is not about giving an instrument because elections are one month away from today.”



Agree. This project was in the making to bring betterment to Guyanese families and this is what the PPP/C is all about. Giving to the community what it needs for progress and prosperity.
Handing laptops to people ignorant of how to use it and not having a support infrastructure in place typifies the manner in which the PPP does things. Had they said these laptops were for every child entering high school, every teacher, and had well establish sites where support was a keystroke away there could be some benefit to this. You don't give hammers to individuals and assume they will be using it to become carpenters. Most of these machines be useless doorstops in short order.
Nehru
quote:
Originally posted by Nehru:
What an assnine statement. People in Guyana know how to use Computers better than an old FART like you.
quote:
Originally posted by D2:
quote:
Originally posted by Catherine:
quote:
Minister Nadir declared: “We want to re-emphasize that this thing is about bringing more and better knowledge to Guyanese families. This is not about giving an instrument because elections are one month away from today.”



Agree. This project was in the making to bring betterment to Guyanese families and this is what the PPP/C is all about. Giving to the community what it needs for progress and prosperity.
Handing laptops to people ignorant of how to use it and not having a support infrastructure in place typifies the manner in which the PPP does things. Had they said these laptops were for every child entering high school, every teacher, and had well establish sites where support was a keystroke away there could be some benefit to this. You don't give hammers to individuals and assume they will be using it to become carpenters. Most of these machines be useless doorstops in short order.
Most of the poor people don't. And internet connectivity is still outside the reach of the majority. Telling lies get you no way. Even you are ignorant of computers for the most part and you are in the great US of A
FM
quote:
Originally posted by Nehru:
What an assnine statement. People in Guyana know how to use Computers better than an old FART like you.
quote:

Originally posted by D2:
quote:
Originally posted by Catherine:
quote:
Minister Nadir declared: “We want to re-emphasize that this thing is about bringing more and better knowledge to Guyanese families. This is not about giving an instrument because elections are one month away from today.”



Agree. This project was in the making to bring betterment to Guyanese families and this is what the PPP/C is all about. Giving to the community what it needs for progress and prosperity.
Handing laptops to people ignorant of how to use it and not having a support infrastructure in place typifies the manner in which the PPP does things. Had they said these laptops were for every child entering high school, every teacher, and had well establish sites where support was a keystroke away there could be some benefit to this. You don't give hammers to individuals and assume they will be using it to become carpenters. Most of these machines be useless doorstops in short order.


Just like many high school students know that Toronto is near England and New York is in California, where the Terminator live.
Tola


Minister of Labour Manzoor Nadir, Senior Project Manager OLPF, Sesh Sukhdeo and Representative of Auto Supplies- the firm Haier contracted to provide technical service, Brian James.



Haier’s local contracted representative Brian James presents one of the laptops to Minister of Labour Manzoor Nadir



The 5000 Laptops being removed from the aircraft



A closer view of the laptop to be distributed under the One Laptop per Family Initiative


Gov’t fulfills another promise as 5000 laptops arrive- OLPF secretariat to commence distribution shortly -Minister Nadir
Georgetown, GINA, October 28, 2011
Source - GINA
FM

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