22 News
week ending june 16, 2013| guyanatimeSinternational.com
U.S.-based company builds Gy$ 20M IT lab in Guyana By Indrawattie Natram
M
embers of the Guyana Police Force, students from various secondary schools on the Essequibo Coast and civilians will soon be benefiting from free Information Technology (IT) training at the Richard Faikall Training College at Suddie on the Essequibo Coast. The move was made possible through the kind donation of a computer centre and library by overseas-based Guyanese company Zara Reality Holdings. According to Zara Reality Holdings Vice President Jay Sobhraj, the company has invested US$ 100,000 in the IT project on the Essequibo Coast. He said the aim of the project is to bridge the communication gap that exists in today’s society and to equip all Essequibians with knowledge of how to use a computer. He said the donation was a way the company could give back to the people.
An official of the company cuts the ribbon to officially open the IT centre, while acting Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell looks on
“We want everyone on the Essequibo Coast to make the maximum use of this opportunity, what you are getting here is a valuable opportunity.” Sobhraj said thus far the company has managed to build and install 11 centres of similar nature, outlining that six were built in Guyana and five in North America, where the company operates.
“We cannot prepare the future for you, however, we can prepare you for the future,” Sobhraj said. Meanwhile, Nardeo Singh, a computer consultant attached to Zara Reality Holdings for the past 25 years, said the project aims to create a society that is computer literate. He said the 36 computers are connected to
the Internet and has a DELL server. The centre also will facilitate a pilot project which will cater for five students from various secondary schools. He said a special trainer has been selected to manage the class and will prepare the students for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) IT examinations. Delivering the feature address at the commissioning of the Guyana Police Force/ Zara Computer Centre was acting Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell, who said the donation of the computers and library at the college is a classic example of partnership. Brumell said IT is no longer a skill, rather it has become a culture for the Guyana Police Force.
ing but unfortunately, it was only able to acquire Gy$ 50 million. Brumell noted the donation from Zara Reality Holdings is timely since it comes when the force is modernising. He said the focus is on officers becoming computer literate and for information to be linked station to station, electronically via the Internet. The acting police commissioner said the move to utilise the centre to train civilians was also a prudent one, noting that it will help to
build strong ties between the Guyana Police Force and the community. The unveiling of the plaque and cutting of the ribbon were done by executive members of the Zara Reality Holdings, Jay Sohbraj, Nardeo Singh and Sarvan Budhu. Zara Reality Holdings had earlier supported the police force with the establishment of a similar computer training centre in Berbice, where the training has been extended to schools and members of the community.
Top priority
Brumell said the Guyana Police Force is developing rapidly in terms of IT, noting that it is a top priority for all officers. He said the force had budgeted Gy$ 200 million for train-
The modern Information Technology Centre commissioned at the Richard Faikall Police Training College on the Essequibo Coast
Engines from crashed aircraft still to be examined
Jokes of de week
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hese days it look like everybody blamin somebody fuh sum ting, and no body ain’t tekkin blame fuh any ting. De opposition always blamin de guvament and de guvament always blamin de opposition. From de budget cuts, to the bills that not gettin pass in Parliament, to de bills that de prezzi not signin, to de local guvament elections, de blame game just keep goin on. So de guvament and de opposition should start sayin “believe it or leave it” before either of dem seh any ting to de public and to de media. Or dem should start playin one fuh- one wid one another – blame me this week and I gon blame yuh next week. Now Rum Jhaat seh he want more “teeth” to de laws in Guyana on financial crimes and he blame de guvament fuh refusin to accept de recommendations from a financial expert. Well, judgin from all dem teeth that Rum Jhaat does be showin when he talkin, all he got to do is give de laws some of he teeth. A new report seh that, in all, they have 140,000 Guyanese livin in New York City. But a local newspaper man seh that figure could never be right, because he alone send more than that back track to New York, and dem never come back. And de biggest joke of de week is that Freddie Kissmansoon write in de Kocheur News and seh he friken to be out after 21: 00h. Well in de first place if de Man Kisser come out after dark, it gon be hard fuh people see he. And, secondly, if people see he, is dem who gon friken! Ting-a-ling-a-ling… friend tell friend… mattie tell mattie! And look out this week fuh de biggest joker in town, de mayor fuh life Green Ham, who want to collect money from de guvament to pay off he wife taxes!
T
he two engines from the Piper Aztec aircraft with American registration number N27-FT, which crashed minutes after takeoff from the Ogle International Airport on April 14, are with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and are due to be examined shortly. This was according to Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Director Zulfikar Mohammed during a telephone interview with Guyana Times International on Friday. Mohammed noted that the engines were sent to the manufacturers where they are to be thoroughly examined to determine the reason for the crash. The director further stated that the reports can take a while to be complied. When completed, it will be handed over to the GCAA. The report on the Caribbean Airlines plane crash almost two years ago is still outstanding. He added that currently Sithe Global, the contracting company, is
One of the engines from the Piper Aztec aircraft that was removed from the crash site
meeting with the various insurance companies under which the twinengine aircraft was insured. Mohammed stated that those discussions are out of the league of the GCAA and is solely up to the parties to pronounce on compensations with respect to liabilities caused by the twin-engine Piper Aztec aircraft. The aircraft was on a technical survey mission of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project, and from all indications, Sithe Global was responsible for managing the construction of the proj-
ect, but subcontracted Digital World Mapping to conduct survey. According to a recent release from the GCAA, approval was given to Digital World Mapping to operate the specific aircraft to conduct a survey of the Amaila Hydropower Project. In that approval, the operator was advised that the aircraft must be insured against third party risk, the release added. Reports further revealed that based on information provided by the NTSB, the insurance coverage for the aircraft did not include coverage
for operations in South America. The aircraft had just taken off from the Ogle International Airport when it crashed into Florence Tyndall’s house, Plaisance, East Coast Demerara. Seconds after the crash, the piper Aztec aircraft exploded, reducing the house to ashes. It also burnt a section of another house, which is owned by Michelle Belle. Tyndall escaped unharmed but the twomember crewman, Pierre Angiel and Canadian Scientist Nick Dmitriev perished.