Re: Promoting the interest of consumers

From: S Moonesamy <sm+mu_at_elandsys.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Feb 2016 02:35:11 -0800

Hi Ish,
At 00:38 23-02-2016, Ish Sookun wrote:
>Yes, I am partly to blamed. Maybe my approach is too docile.

Maybe you learned something. :-)

>That was my first official meeting at the Council. I questioned on
>the expertise of several persons suggested for the board of ICTA and
>deplored the fact that I am asked to choose five candidates from a
>list of five. I was then told that it is the "current practice". I
>was uncomfortable but at the same time I needed the exposure to learn more.

It's a strange way to take a decision.

>Yes, I do mention I am a member of the ICT Advisory Council. When
>people ask me about works that I contributed at the Council, I can
>only mention the National Open Source Software Excellence Centre
>(NOSSEC) because that's the project where I am putting energy
>(though it is not very significant). During the course of last year,
>I did contribute in:
>
>1. offered my assistance in a working group for improving local
>hosting for Small & Medium Enterprises and assisting in Maker
>workshops for students (it never consolidated into something real)
>2. asked for the approved Notes of Council meetings to be released publicly
>3. suggested using a temporary identification paper for people
>needing an ID Card rather than asking them to sign a declaration form
>4. suggested improvements for the Infotech website, and commented on
>web design standards in Government institutions
>5. deplored that the Council was neglected in discussions pertaining
>to amendments proposed in ICT laws
>6. requested the annual reports of the ICT Authority
>7. toss ideas for the organization structure of the National Open
>Source Software Excellence Centre
>8. contributed ideas for the implementation of the Open Government
>Data (in progress)
>
>Previously, when I was asked whether during last year I contributed
>ideas for the promotion of the interest of consumers, I said no.
>Sincerely, I do not consider the above as major contributions. The
>above were only of a few meetings to have tea or coffee, or maybe
>juice. The level of seriousness in any of the activities is very
>weak. I wish & intend to do much more.

I don't see anything in the above which is related to promoting the
interests of consumers in respect to the quality and variety of
information and communication services.

Regards,
S. Moonesamy
Received on Tue Feb 23 2016 - 10:35:32 PST