Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) the Honourable Mark Phillips hailed the commissioning of the first direct submarine fibre-optic cable to Bartica as a transformative development that brings the hinterland town in line with the capital city’s digital capabilities.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony hosted by telecommunications provider E-Networks (ENet), he described the project as both a technical feat and a national achievement that reflects Guyana’s broader digital development goals.
He explained that “Bartica, long regarded as the gateway to Guyana’s interior, is now poised to benefit from dramatically faster and more reliable service for homes, businesses, and institutions. This is an immense technical achievement that also signifies a meaningful step toward bridging the digital divide between our coast and hinterland.”
Prime Minister Phillips applauded ENet’s drive while highlighting the critical role of the private sector in advancing the country’s digital agenda.
“We commend ENet for its bold investment and welcome this initiative as a demonstration of what can be achieved through partnership, innovation, and a shared commitment to national development.”

Digital Guyana strategy
The project, the Prime Minister noted, reflects the Government’s ongoing commitment to building a digitally empowered Guyana. He said since liberalising the telecommunications sector on 5th October 2020, the ruling administration has worked to expand access, reduce costs, and encourage private sector innovation, especially in underserved and hinterland communities.
Expanding on this vision, Prime Minister Phillips recalled the Government’s Digital Strategy, which outlines ICT as a key pillar in Guyana’s inclusive development framework.
“When the PPP/C Government took office, we pledged to modernise Guyana’s ICT infrastructure as part of a wider vision for inclusive development. That vision is embodied in our Digital Guyana strategy, which aims to make public services faster, more accessible, and more responsive. To date, we have connected over 150 ICT hubs and more than 130 schools, ensuring even the most remote communities can benefit from connectivity.”
The Prime Minister explained that the fibre-optic cable unlocks new possibilities for economic diversification, smart public services, and digital inclusion, while allowing small businesses to scale beyond regional boundaries, students to access real-time learning resources, and public institutions to function with greater speed and efficiency.
He reiterated the Government’s pledge to ensure that hinterland regions benefit from the same level of digital connectivity and Government services as those along the coast.
To this end, he pointed to recent announcements made by President Irfaan Ali, which include plans to make essential services such as licensing, GRA support, and financial transactions accessible directly within some hinterland communities as early as next year, eliminating the need for residents to travel to Georgetown.
Prime Minister Phillips also stated that Guyana’s vision for inclusive national development cannot be realised without digital inclusion.
“We realise that if the digital divide continues, we cannot speak of development in a truly inclusive way. That is why the Government will continue to support initiatives like this one, ensuring that every region, every town, and every citizen is included in Guyana’s digital future.”
CEO and Founder of ENet, Mr Vishok Persaud, said the pioneering venture involved identifying a viable submarine route and clearing a path through difficult terrain.
“The project was extraordinarily challenging, as it required finding a viable route and running fibre through the trails. Today, we have connected Bartica via fibreoptic cable for the first time.”
The fibreoptic rollout to Bartica also delivers full Fibre To Home gigabit speeds and introduces 5G mobile connectivity, linking the community directly to the country’s most extensive fibreoptic backbone, now penetrating seven of Guyana’s ten administrative regions.
The multi-billion dollar project involved traversing two major rivers and now grants residents and businesses in Bartica access to coastlandlevel digital services.