Gov’t Terminates Contract of ICT Advisor Lance Hinds

…Hinds says Gov’t exercising its preference

The Government of Guyana has terminated the contract of Ministerial Advisor on Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Lance Hinds effective November 30, 2020.

Hinds, who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the BrainStreet Group, has served as an advisor at the former Ministry of Public Telecommunications since 2016, before it was demobilized by the current Administration in August 2020.

There, his primary responsibility was the development of an enabling, policy-driven environment to foster the growth and full utilisation of ICT for national development and economic advancement.

However, when the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) took office in August, the Ministry of Public Telecommunications was no more. Responsibility for telecommunications sector now falls under the portfolio of Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips.

In an interview with Village Voice Guyana on Thursday, Hinds said that no reason was given for the termination of his contract but the Government is entitled to choose who they would prefer to hold the position.

“Clearly the Government has their own idea in terms of what it is they want and what type of people they want to have doing it…whether its warranted or unwarranted, that loses relevance at this point. They clearly have a preference for who they want to work with, they’re exercising their options I suppose,” he said.

Since taking office in August, the Irfaan-Ali led administration has terminated the contracts of many who worked under the APNU+AFC administration.