Exploring the Role of Information and Communications Technology in facilitating Inclusive Development in Indigenous Communities in Guyana

Development approaches have historically been driven by external forces, and they are short-term and lack fit and inclusiveness. For Indigenous communities, this approach to development has been severely disruptive to their means of livelihood as well as their social and cultural norms. This has led to rethinking development as a process that places greater emphasis on engaging communities to ensure that their context-specific needs are met. Simultaneously, rising interest in information and communications technology (ICT) has drawn elite attention from development agencies about its potential roles in enhancing development through inclusion. However, the growing literature on ICT for development (ICT4D) is vague on how to nurture inclusion to pursue development activities in Indigenous communities. This qualitative study examined a) the processes required for formulating local development objectives in Indigenous communities in the Rupununi Regions of Guyana, b) the potential roles that ICT can play in enhancing those development processes, and c) the institutional and policy innovations warranted to facilitate this kind of inclusive development with ICT. The results suggest that Indigenous communities can be empowered to determine their development processes and objectives, and ICT can aid the processes. However, policies are required to ensure that the people are empowered to participate in development processes, equitable access to ICT is provided to the communities, and training and awareness of ICT are provided to guard against the dark side of ICT and to ensure that citizens are able to perceive the value of ICT. The findings i) challenge established development orthodoxies, ii) give voice to the Indigenous communities to craft their own development goals and objectives, iii) guide policymakers about the use of ICT4D in Indigenous communities, iv) generate discussions on ICT-led approach for inclusive development, v) and improve the literature on ICT-enhanced inclusive development strategies in Indigenous communities.