U.S.-based company builds Gy$ 20M IT lab in Guyana

By Indrawattie Natram –

Members 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.

“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.
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 training 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.