We must encourage and support the growth of the ICT industry within Botswana, the Minister of Communications, Science and Technology, Mrs Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi, said the launch of an RPC Data Citizen Empowerment Deal launch on Friday.
Mrs Venson-Moitoi said during the past few years, the government took steps to provide appropriate infrastructure, starting with the National ICT policy that sets out national goals and strategies for implementation.
The liberalised telecommunications industry would facilitate the entry of new players, increase competition and quality of service, and ultimately reduce the cost of service.
We expect that further liberalisation will act as a catalyst to the introduction of broadband and other exciting new technologies like voice over IP (Internet Protocol), the minister said.
Mrs Venson-Moitoi said the government has embarked on a number of e-government initiatives that go both inward and outward.
Inward e-government involves the use of ICT technologies correctly and sensibly in the back offices of the public sector while outward e-government represents a radically new way for the government to interact with its constituents, clients, and partners over the Internet.
About RPC Data, the minister said since its launch in 1989, it has developed a fine relationship with the government from the early days of writing small software programmmes used in automating various processes in the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to the current partnership of trust where the company has been engaged to develop various systems.
These projects have been developed within the environment of the Oracle technology which both RPC and Department of Information Technology have adopted as a preferred database platform, she said.
The Managing Director of RPC Data, Mr Rob Pool, said the company was initially incorporated as Rob Pool Computing and operated as a one man consultancy from a modest house in Broadhurst.
He said in 1994 the company needed sound financial and technical backing to enable it to bid for larger projects particularly those initiated by government. Fifty per cent of the business was then sold to Qdata, an international IT business based in South Africa.
The business continued to grow and in 1999 RPC Data was listed on the Botswana Stock Exchange to raise more capital.
Mr Pool said in 2005, in line with governments citizen empowerment, two groups of citizen investors were invited to participate and purchase 26 per cent of company shares.
One group of women investors was led by a former cabinet minister, Mrs Tebelelo Seretse, who was subsequently appointed board chairperson. Another was a group of men led by Mompati Nwako ,who is the executive director.
Botswana citizens and the nation at large stand to benefit from the fruits of our future success through dividends, taxes and last but not least employment and skills development, he said.
Mr Pool said his company has over the years developed some major systems for elections, taxes and Value Added Tax (VAT).
We have also successfully implemented the Botswana governments core financial systems comprising GABS and Payroll valued at P35 million and P8 million respectively in the period from 2003 to 2006, he said.
Both projects were completed successfully on time and within budget.
Autor(en)/Author(s):
Quelle/Source: Republic of Botswana, 13.03.2007
