Annexure

The following are some of the things that I have read, learnt, or written over the past ten years. These are referred to in the book and I add them here for those who might find it of interest.

Table of Contents

•What is IT and ICT?

•Public Access to ICT’s

•Rights of Victims

•Proposed Definitions for SME’s

•Strategic Plan for Rehoboth (1998)

•Quotes that inspired me – reprinted from my email newsletter

What is IT and ICT?

In the modern world we so easily use abbreviations and rarely do we remember where they come from and what they exactly mean. For my ideas on ICT, I use the following example to differentiate the various concepts.

When I refer to data, I mean the written information that is not yet typed in to a computer. Once this data is typed in it becomes information (as in stored in an information retrieval system). Thus IT refers to the hardware and software of the computer where data is stored. Once the information is stored and can be used by ourselves and others we refer to this as knowledge (as in knowledge-based society). The usage of the data and the subsequent rearranging for our own uses (secondary data), allows us to have and provide understanding. The last step in this process (which is not guaranteed), is wisdom. The ability to make wise choices based on the available information.

This can be drawn as follows:

Raw information, for example census data

Typed in a computer and stored for future use. This is IT

Ability to retrieve data and information

Provide an explanation of what the data means

Use the data to recommend actions that must be undertaken

Public Access to ICT’s

Study by Tina James and Milton Louw – August 2008

Introduction

This research study examines the public access to information and communication landscapes in Namibia, with specific focus on public libraries and schools, to understand the information needs of underserved communities, public access to information and communication venues, and the role of ICT. Namibia, classified as a lower-middle income country with a GDP of 4.1%, is a sparsely-populated country with a population of 2.1 million and a population density of about 2.5/km. Overall ICT access is very limited throughout the country, with SchoolNet Namibia providing most of the available ICTs through schools.

Methodology

This research study was initiated in early 2008 and consists of two phases – Phase I combined desktop research, telephonic and face-to-face interviews with about 30 key decision makers and experts, three group discussions, and selected site visits to readily accessible venues in Windhoek and Gobabis. Phase II included a field survey which was undertaken during June and July 2008. Four types of venues were researched – public libraries (2), schools (3), educational institutions (2) and commercial internet cafés (5). . Venues were chosen based on accessibility to the community, the availability of ICTs at the locations, and the presumption that there would be more than 20 users per day. The limited availability of public ICT access points (outside of SchoolNets) resulted in a very limited sample for this study.

Findings

There is pent-up demand for the use of ICTs, given the huge distances and geographic isolation of large parts of the population. The provision of electricity is a particular challenge and alternative energy sources are in use and/or being investigated e.g. solar power and wind energy by MTC (mobile operator) and SchoolNet Namibia. There is a large digital divide between those living in urban versus non-urban environments.

There is a distinct difference between the usage patterns of those over and under 25 years of age. Most users above 25 use the Internet for work and keeping in touch with their business colleagues. The Internet is seen as an information source and very little time is spent on using it as an entertainment medium. Many of the younger users (below 25) have access to ICTs for which they do not have to pay. They use mobile services to keep in touch with their social network (chat) and to make appointments with one another (SMS). Their usage of the Internet is for emails, but most prefer social network sites where messages are sent across the network rather than to an individual friend. If they download from the Internet, they access music and films, mostly through pirated means. There are very few gender differences in terms of usage.

Success Factors

The rollout of ICT to schools appears to have been the most successful project in Namibia, despite the difficulties of dial-up access, little available bandwidth, long travel distances to provide technical support and the difficulties of providing reliable 24/7 Internet access.

There is a need for better coordination between the government departments regarding ICT rollout to ensure the optimal utilization of limited resources. The Government has designated that all constituency offices (13 regions with 107 constituency offices) should be equipped with ICTs. The proposed Community Information Resource Centres will require shared use of the fibre-optic backbone already rolled out to these constituency offices, as well as alternative power sources for those venues not on the electricity grid.

Recommendations

Five key recommendations can be made which should positively impact on extending the reach and uptake of public ICT access points:

Recommendation 1: A situational analysis is needed to identify all the existing community access points (clinics, libraries, schools, recreational centres, craft centres, etc.) and identify best practice.

Recommendation 2: Introducing ICTs into libraries represents a significant opportunity since there are only two libraries in the country that are connected to the Internet.

Recommendation 3: An extensive ICT literacy campaign is required in government as well the broader population. ICT training should be included more prominently in the training of teachers and librarians, as well as civil servants.

Recommendation 4: eGovernment services need to be identified and implemented. Government websites must become more functional.

Recommendation 5: More research is needed to assess the availability of content in local languages, the extent to which this is required, the likely levels of demand and the type of content that could be developed for future use in libraries, schools and youth development centres.

In conclusion, Namibia represents a challenging environment for the rollout and uptake of ICTs and the provision of information services. The very low level of ICT penetration presents a challenge as well as an opportunity. The Government of Namibia’s efforts to address ICTs through the Education Sector is laudable and should create an opportunity, through schools, to extend ICT access to the largely youthful population of the country. Likewise the efforts to place ICTs in libraries should have an impact in meeting the clearly pent-up demand for broader ICT access. The pervasive presence, even in poorer communities, of mobile phones indicates the need for government to strongly consider this technology for its future provision of government information to citizens.

Rights of victims

United Nations Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice

for

Victims of Crime and the Abuse of Power

Approved by the General Assembly, 29 November 1985(Resolution 40/34), on the recommendation of the Seventh Congress

•Victims should be treated with compassion and respect for their dignity and are entitled to prompt redress for harm caused.

•Judicial and administrative mechanisms should be established and strengthened to enable victims to obtain redress.

•Victims should be informed of their role and the timing and progress of their cases. The views and concerns of victims should be presented and considered at appropriate stages of the process.

•Steps should be taken to minimise delay and inconvenience to victims, ensure their privacy and protect them from intimidation and retaliation.

•Offenders should, where appropriate, make restitution to victims or their families or dependants. Where public officials have violated criminal laws, victims should receive restitution from the State.

•When compensation is not fully available from the offender, States should provide compensation to victims or their families in cases of significant physical or mental injury.

•Victims should receive the necessary material, medicine, psychological and social assistance through governmental and voluntary means.

•Police, justice, social service and other personnel concerned should receive training to sensitize them to the needs of victims.

•States should consider incorporating into national law norms prescribing abuses of power, including political and economic power. They should also provide remedies to victims of such abuses, including restitution and compensation.

New definition for SMEs

The SME sector in Namibia, as presently defined by the Government, includes mostly informal businesses. It would be useful to re-define this definition to be comparable to what is referred to as SME in other economies. This will increase the number of businesses that can be assisted by programmes supporting SMEs. Currently only an official definition for small businesses exists. The definitions we propose here combine regulatory requirements and employment criteria. The aim is to define sizes of businesses in a way that is independent from inflation and is comparable to international standards. The definitions proposed distinguish between primary, secondary and tertiary sectors.

TABLE 1. Definition for Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry & Mining (Primary Sector)

TABLE 2. Definition for Manufacturing Sector (Secondary Sector)

TABLE 3. Definition for Service Sector (tertiary sector)

The employment criteria for the primary and secondary sector is identical, only the regulatory requirements are different, whereas for the tertiary sector the employment criteria also differs. The advantage of having official definitions for all business sizes is that these can then be used for all kind of surveys, allowing data to be raised that is comparable. This will lead to a better understanding of developments in the different sectors. It will also help to target promotion and support programmes more accurately.

Strategic Plan for Rehoboth (1998)

The strategic plan proposes the following strategic goals:

1.Raise awareness for the development potential of Rehoboth and create a positive “We can do it!” spirit by promoting common vision, purpose and action, create identity and to develop the mechanism to aggressively market the town.

2.To utilise the many underutilised and untapped resources for economic development, job creation, small business development and the creation of local wealth.

3.To develop and improve the social and physical infrastructure and make it conducive for the attraction of visitors and local as well as outside investors and make Rehoboth a better place to live and work.

The Rehoboth Council of the NCCI has identified the following objectives within the framework of the plan that NCCI and its members can undertake:

Goal 1

Tactical Objective 1.1

Awareness and participation campaign

Strategies:

1.1.5. Set-up a development Forum for planning, information sharing. PR activities, etc.

1.1.6. Media Strategy and campaign

1.1.7. Newspaper for business and council news

1.1.8. Draw-up a complete 5 years strategic plan

1.1.9. Local Economic Development (LED) survey

Tactical Objective 1.2

Marketing of the town as a major spa town and tourist destination

Strategies:

1.2.3. Corporate Involvement Paper for Rehoboth

1.2.2. Identification of possible twinning towns in Germany

1.2.3. Develop marketing tools

Billboards, Signage, Brochures, Leaflets, Video and website

1.2.4. Create festival themes and set festival times associated with the spa, healthy life, etc.

Goal 2

Tactical Objective 2.1

Develop Rehoboth as an attractive place for outside visitors, investors and in particular develop the tourism potential

Strategies:

2.1.1. Make Rehoboth more attractive

2.1.2. Tourist Maps for Rehoboth

2.1.4. Tourist Information Office (joint-venture with NCCI and Town Council)

2.1.5. Research and draft a comprehensive, integrated tourism and eco-tourism development plan

2.1.6. Research and produce a Spa Town Development Plan around:

Hot Springs, Baths, Clay baths, massages, mineral waters, parks, therapy

2.1.7. Explore the opportunity to become a centre for herbs, traditional medicine, essential oils and other products from desert plants, such as Hoodia, aloe, etc. (Pharmaceutical Industry based on plants.)

2.1.8. Organise and implement a “better services” campaign with shop-owners, sales staff, public servants, general public

Tactical Objective 2.2

Create a resource and business opportunity development plan

Strategies:

2.2.1. Skills register of special skills available in Rehoboth

Database development of a “Contact Databank”

2.2.2. Draft a natural resources development plan

2.2.3. Business Opportunity Guide

2.2.4. Industrial Business and Investment Opportunity Guide

Goal 3

Tactical Objective 3.1

Develop the physical and social infrastructure of the town

Strategies:

3.1.1. Attract business which develops infrastructure on a commercial basis such as:

Hotel development and accommodation

Cafes on main street

Craft shops

Golf course

Cinema, quality clubs, etc

3.1.2. Invest in the improvement of the physical infrastructure

3.1.3. Incorporate all other infrastructural development projects to be undertaken into the 5 years development plan

- Sewage: assist in building loans (NHE?) to get indoor plumbing

Quotes that inspired me

The following are some of the quotes that have appeared in my email newsletters. I hope that you will also find inspiration in some of them.

20 April 2006

"It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to be always right by having no ideas at all." - Edward de Bono

5 May 2006

“All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible.”

-Thomas Edward Lawrence (of Arabia)

19 May 2006

•“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.” - Goethe

•“Thinking is more interesting than knowing, but less interesting than looking” - Goethe

•“There is one thing one has to have: either a soul that is cheerful by nature, or a soul made cheerful by work, love, art, and knowledge.” - Nietsche

25 May 2006

"Greed is a fat demon with a small mouth and whatever you feed it is never enough." - Janwillem van de Wetering

23 June 2006

“There is no sickness worse for me than words, that to be kind, must lie.” - Aeschylus

14 July 2006

"I sincerely believe that banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies, and that the principles of spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale" - Thomas Jefferson (American 3rd President)

21 July 2006

•"Debt is the slavery of the free." Publilius Syrus (Roman Author - First Century BC)

•"Credit buying is much like being drunk. The buzz happens immediately and gives you a lift.... The hangover comes the day after." Joyce Brothers

28 July 2006

•"The most successful people are those who are good at Plan B." - James York

•"Innovation is the whim of an elite before it becomes a need of the public." - Ludwig von Mises

1 September 2006

•“Be happy. It's one way of being wise.”

•"Don't brood. Get on with living and loving. You don't have forever.”

29 September 2006

"The means by which we live have outdistanced the ends for which we live. Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men." - Mahatma Gandhi

4 August 2006

“Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.” ~John Ruskin

12 January 2007

“We must encourage [each other] once we have grasped the basic points to interconnecting everything else on our own, to use memory to guide our original thinking, and to accept what someone else says as a starting point, a seed to be nourished and grow. For the correct analogy for the mind is not a vessel that needs filling but wood that needs igniting no more and then it motivates one towards originality and instils the desire for truth. Suppose someone were to