[Kictanet] Re: List Merger/amalgamation

[John Walubengo]

Unbelievably to the point.  These examples from Bill can never be any better...I now know what Civil Society should really be  about...

My only problem is that I am not sure whether we have resolved the original issue:- Should we merge, cooperate or patner the two lists?  

Either way, I must confess that I am glad  that the issue has raised more questions than answers...
 
walu.

>>> Bill Kagai <billkagai at gmail.com> 09/26/05 07:26PM >>>
On 9/26/05, waudo siganga <emailsignet at mailcan.com> wrote:
> Hi Bill,
>
> I agree with you that "organizations representing or improving the
> environment where private sector interests thrive cannot [necessarily]
> be justified as Civil Society". However I do not agree with your
> assertion that these organizations "do not care and neither would they
> address the social implications of their direct
> actions. " This is a very strong but wrong statement. The majority of
> successful organizations in the private sector run well documented
> social responsibilty programs, unless I have mis-understood you.

Hi Waudo,

You got me wrong!! Let me use two or three examples to illustrate my
point on social implications.

1. We know that internet exchange points have been established, fibre
has been rolled around the metropolis, direct VSATs licensed...and
realistically...though debatable, internet costs should go down. Has
this happened?? No!! Because we cannot expect organisations fighting
regulatory and licensing affairs to also fight the battle for
consumers. Real Civil Society has to take up the issue of pushing for
consumer protection in a multi-stakeholder environment to force a
price reduction.

2. When a mobile telephone company at any one time holds kshs 9.00
from each subscriber in their 3.1 million subscriber base..at any one
time, that translates to kshs 27,900,000 at any one time. Whilst the
mobile company might have good reasons for that, perhaps Civil Society
can lobby that the interest accruing from that account is used to
champion ICT or any other humanitarian rights equivalent to that
amount. Telecommunication organisations might champion other interests
but certainly not those that are in direct conflict with those of
their members.

These are just but two fallacies (by example) that only true Civil
Society can champion...if the proper support goes to the right
organisations. But again, they are hypothetical.

[No persons are meant to be hurt in these examples and all characters
are fictitious. Any resemblance to an entity that fits the description
is purely by coincidence and any insinuation is highly regretted.]

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Submitted by: Bildad Kagia <billkagai at gmail.com> 2005-09-26 12:31:37 EDT4
(Please reply to original submitter for private communication)
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