More Guyanese need cybersecurity, AI training – PM

Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips believes that more Guyanese should be trained in cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help protect themselves and the country from emerging threats.

The Prime Minister, who is performing the duties of President, spoke at a technology conference sponsored by DynamIQ on Thursday.

“We must prioritise education and skill training in the fields of cybersecurity and AI so that our people are not only consumers of technology but also creators and innovators in this space,” the Prime Minister posited.

The conference was organised by the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) in collaboration with the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI). It was held at the Pegasus Hotel, Corporate Suites in Kingston, Georgetown.

The Prime Minister said such conferences are crucial because they facilitate much-needed discussions on new developments. In this case, he said the focus on technological advancements and the need for cybersecurity solutions are of national importance.

And he told the gathering that the government is focused on technological developments locally but it is not unaware of the need to beef up cybersecurity to protect against threats to privacy, economic stability, and national security.

Other stakeholders agreed that there should be a much greater focus on cybersecurity in Guyana.

DynamIQ Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Akiel Ghany contended that cybersecurity solutions should not be an afterthought. Rather, he said, these solutions should be an integral part of any organisation’s work.

And he believes that DynamIQ, a new joint venture between ENet, Guyana’s only locally-owned telecommunications provider, and Memory Bank Computers, is a company capable of providing the solutions needed.