Hi all,
Too much written by many, in reply to what I said, for me to
realistically answer everything.
However, reading all the comments, I think I can answer all (directly
and indirectly) by making a few points clear.
When i write, I write in a general manner. When I say that we should
collect personal data, I say this with the full understanding that it's
naturally not going to be a bunch of incompetents trying to design and
secure such a system. It has to be done by professional companies, with
experience, knowledge and integrity. This is common sense and it was the
FIRST thing I mentioned in this topic... that if the level of corruption
or lack of human rights in a country is prevalent, then this country
should not be allowed to collect bio/other personal data... so that's a
given. And, as Mr Laeng pointed out, if I'm asked to share my passwords
to the world, well again, all I can say is use your common sense. Being
"pro-data" does not being stupid and ignorant in the process.
Now, when I mention biometric data, it could be just a fingerprint to
identify oneself. So where's the harm in that if it means you can at
least use the data to uniquely identify someone, thus paving the way to
implementing many more solutions, all connected to the fact that we can
positively identify someone? Yes someone may come out with "but there
are two people in the world having the same fingerprints". But so what?
What are the chances both live in the same village, committing the same
crime and the other one has no alibi? Again.. don't go into 'Overkill" here.
If I say Mauritius is way behind in many aspects then, though we can
compare to Europe, Asia etc, or quote this case or that case.. or we can
say "according to so-and-so", I do not find it advantageous to make such
comparisons. We are in the business of innovation and we shouldn't
listen to what anyone says (unless it's written in stone.. ie.. if you
jump off a cliff, you fall to the ground). I just refer to the
emergence, and existence thereof, of Information Technology, the
software and the equipment, and believe we can put this all together to,
quite possibly, be a major driving force, both economically and
socially, in this part of the world.
In a nutshell what I'm trying to say is quite simply we have everything
at our disposal to take whatever we need to, head-on, with an approach
suited to the size of our island and the minimal physical resources we have.
I understand a lot of what I say may sound controversial, stupid or what
have you, but I'm not in the business of delving in the academics of
things. That's for useless university professors who will tell you we'll
all die in year 5000. I look at what we have, what is possible and how
can we practically go ahead and achieve our most ambitious goal... which
is to elevate our nation. Never in the history of the entire world has
so much been made available (IT, software and solutions) to so few a
people with such minimal amount of resources (read "Mauritius). In India
and Pakistan, only a few hours ago I've been speaking to them, there are
individuals there who are managing to feed their kids and house
themselves, simply based on supplying software services to the USA.
Using a cheap computer from, possibly, a hut. From 2007-2009 we sold
10,000 retail pieces, directly from Triolet, with my house opposite the
sugar cane, to thousands of europeans, sitting in their own homes in
Helsinki, Stockholm etc.. simply using a Rs 15,000 computer, a bit of
common sense and some stocks. This has fed me well and could feed others
even better. Yes, I have their data too.. all their names and address.
So what? Big deal!
My point is do not think that Mauritius is full of advantages being an
island in the middle of the indian ocean. IT and DATA is helping us
economically, giving us jobs, giving us opportunities, education and, if
used by the government correctly, thousands of things can be simplified
with efficiency. Now.. maybe some may not agree on what I say.. but it
doesn't really matter in the end whether one agrees or not. It's the
facts that count.
Some question if IT and a data driven approach can really push a country
forward. Well, think of it in reverse and you'll find yourself in the
stone age. Now if i'm asked to pull out a university paper proving it
actually goes back to Iron Age and not Stone Age, then I'd be wrong.
In any case what i say is my opinion.. and I gave it. One may dissect it
at will, this is fine but, however which way you look at it, there is no
denying that without a data driven society/economy, we will get
nowhere... and fast.
Dhiruj
ps: And to specifically answer a question. Yes, bodily functions can be
monitored, with the results sent from one's home to a hospital.... and
yes... the idea was patented and held by.a mauritian doctor now living
in the UK.
On 06/06/2015 19:12, Loganaden Velvindron wrote:
> On Sat, Jun 6, 2015 at 7:33 AM, Dhiruj Rambaran <dhiruj_at_shoponline.mu> wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> Yes there is a training issue, lack of competencies etc. But this all forms
>> part of the vicious cycle of being an underperforming country in terms of
>> the quality of our compromised education system... a system which could have
>> benefited vastly through IT (or even just common sense).
>>
>> The point is, within this cycle, there has to be a place to start and I
>> believe it's through allowing biometrics/IT to do what it does best.. to
>> improve the lives of everyone in the long term. It's already proved it can
>> do so in practically all ways.
>>
>> Our world is now a data-driven world and all opportunities are coming from
>> it. As I mentioned we can be pedantic and speak of every aspect of privacy,
>> right to information etc but, in the long run, I believe it's an overkill.
>> Yes it still makes sense to question decisions, but should be done so with
>> all other considerations (eg the development of a data-driven country).
>>
> Hi Dhiruj, I partly agree with you here. We are moving more and more
> towards a society where data is becoming more and more useful to
> companies.
>
> Back in 2013, when the pervasive surveillance practices were made
> public, a few companies took necessary actions to encrypt the
> communications between datacenters.
>
> Also, I think that this argument is very much valid:
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3kWxq5dFdU
>
>
Received on Sat Jun 06 2015 - 21:49:30 PST