Linden CDCs receive computers for ICT hubs

Three Community Development Councils in the mining town of Linden have been furnished with computers for its Information and Communications Technology (ICT) hubs. These communities are Block 22, Bamia and Victory Valley. The computers were presented to the CDC’s by Deputy Director of Community Development Council, Sandra Adams.

The ICT hubs’ main aim is to provide students with free Internet, printing and basic computer services within their communities, which will avoid them having to travel to Mackenzie to access paid services. Other residents, especially parents who are not computer literate and technologically savvy, can also benefit from basic knowledge and intermediate classes.

Dexter Harding, Community Leader of Coomacka Mines, which is about 30 minutes driving distance from Linden, thanked Miss Adams for making representation for the mines to benefit from the computers as it will bring a great ease to the students. “It is necessary, especially for the young women who would come down to access Internet services at late hours to have their research and so done. At times advantage may be taken on them, so it is very necessary,” Harding said.

Adams revealed that the office of the CDC was currently in conversation with telephone company Digicel, in relation to the hubs being Internet-accessible earliest. The community of Bamia, which is located on the Linden Soesdyke Highway, has already hosted a fund-raising event to purchase printers for its ICT hub so that the students can access free printing for their assignments. One parent at Bamia expressed appreciation for the computers and the hub as transportation was their biggest issue. “I am very happy that the children can have these services right here because it wasn’t easy going to Linden to go to the Internet. It was expensive for the transportation and to pay for the printing and so on. Sometimes they finished at the Internet late in the night and have to wait long for transportation to come up, so I’m very happy about it,” she said.

Adams revealed that within the next three months, 15 other CDC’s within Region 10 will be receiving computers for its hubs and 39 should be beneficiaries before the end of the year. Some of the communities to benefit within the next three months are Kwakwani, Ituni, Coomacka Mines, Cinderilla City, Rivers View and riverine communities up the Demerara and the Berbice River.