Library inaugurates Internet service
If you think Internet access in libraries is a luxury available only to North American students, you’re behind time. This afternoon, the Leo Bradley Library in Belize City became the first public library in the country to allow scholars to connect to the world wide web. Caribbean Shores Area Representative Jose Coye, whose government made the deal with Intelco, declared the computer centre officially open. According to Librarian Gilda Barrera, this service has been eagerly anticipated by the library’s many customers.
Gilda Barrera, Acting Chief Librarian
“It was in demand. As the Minister said a while ago, we had this idea of implementing an internet cafe at the library for some time now, so this is quite a day for us. Besides using just books, people will be able to come in and browse the internet, use the email service, or come in and just type a document, which as I know it no other place right now offers. So here the library is open long hours, the public at large is welcome, so it will be beneficial to the public at large.”
Ivan Tesucum, Director of Operations, INTELCO
“The free computers and free internet access that we’re going to be give that we’re working in partnership with the Ministry of Education, is something that as a corporate citizen we believe that we need to give to the country of Belize. And so out of the computers that we’re giving is going to be free and no charge for the students to use the computers because we want them…as we said it’s an educational tool and we want to aid in the development of a higher level of education for the country of Belize.”
In the coming months, all public libraries in the country will be equipped with similar facilities. The computer programme is part of a contract with Intelco, under which that company will become the sole supplier of telecom services to the government. In an interesting footnote, viewers should be aware that Intelco’s Ivan Tesucum is the son of B.T.L. Chief Executive Ediberto Tesucum. The competition between the two companies should become intense by early next year.
