Cel*Star clinched a deal with Canadian contractor Trylon TSF, on Tuesday, for the latter, which is headquartered in Ontario, Canada, to erect 21 communication towers here.

The documents, signed at Le Meridien Pegasus Hotel in Georgetown, said the structures will be along the Atlantic coast, in Linden and, eventually, at some interior locations such as Lethem, Rupununi.

The US$2M contract also covers civil works, including access roads, said Mr Pierre Strasser, Chief Operations Officer of Transworld Telecom, Caribbean.

According to him, the project will benefit the Guyana economy because sub-contracts will be awarded to local firms in communities where the construction would be done.

Most of the towers will be about 120 feet high and totally independent of GT&T’s installations, providing employment for 50 people, exclusive of the sub-contracted group, Strasser said.

But when Cel*Star is fully operational here, the number of persons in its employ would be approximately 200.

He explained that the persons directly employed with Cel*Star would be involved in security and channel distribution, among other things.

Strasser said the new system will be tested by August, with an anticipated 1,000 subscribers.

According to him, an analysis was done at each tower site before approval was granted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) and Lands and Surveys Commission.