Can we say, development revolves around transparency?<br><br>Should we not focus on more than revenue collection?<br>
<br>It is harder to steal (citizen time / public funds) when everyone can see what you are or not doing?<br><br>Revenue collections can increase even with improved citizen / customer / client relationship management.<br>
<br>Who is to blame for the demolitions in Mavoko (Syokimau)? <br><br>Some victims (citizens) say when they were building, the Mavoko County Council was aware and never told them anything.<br><br>Is it not time for especially for local governments to request citizen e-mail addresses in various applications for services and approvals?<br>
<br>Also, have often wondered how to report good behavior when in govt offices / parastatals.<br><br>This will get good people promoted -- and we know good people are more likely themselves to hire / promote / contract other good people.<br>
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, Nov 13, 2011 at 12:38 AM, <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:bitange@jambo.co.ke" target="_blank">bitange@jambo.co.ke</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Jane,<br>
There are possibly reasons why Korea is doing better than its 1960s peers.<br>
Casual look on the road tells you that more than nine out of ten vehicles<br>
on the road are Korean. You either see the Hyundai or a Kia and sometimes<br>
a Samsung. There is practically no foreign car here even the Toyota which<br>
originally gave the technology to Korea. I am told that 100% of the home<br>
appliances are locally manufactured. This level of patriotism (royalty to<br>
local outputs) is not by accident. South Korea is sandwiched by two<br>
powerful economies, that is, Japan and China.<br>
<br>
This is an export-orientated country, with a total trade volume exceeding<br>
900 billion in 2010. This figure also makes them the 7th largest exporter<br>
and 10th largest importer in the world. Since 2003, South Korea has<br>
established its network of free trade agreements to boost trade and<br>
economic ties with other countries.<br>
<br>
Currently, South Korea has 5 FTAs in effect, 3 FTAs which has concluded<br>
discussions, and 19 FTAs under negotiation and consideration. So far, the<br>
biggest FTA of South Korea is the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement (KORUS<br>
FTA) signed in 2007. This free trade agreement plans to liberate 95<br>
percent of the trade tariffs between the 2 countries. It is also US<br>
first free trade agreement with a major Asian economy and biggest deal<br>
since the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) signed with Japan in<br>
1993. Even with these FTAs some Koreans oppose especially FTA with the<br>
US. At a neatly organized rally (looked like an AGM of some company)<br>
people are gathered to protest FTA with the US. They argue it will hurt<br>
their industry.<br>
<br>
With a lack in natural resources, South Korea has a high dependence on<br>
import of capital goods, raw materials and industrial supplies. The<br>
country is also the 5th largest importer of oil in the world, with 3.074<br>
million barrels imported per day.<br>
<br>
This makes Korea a good case study for Kenya as we have almost a similar<br>
background. At the height of structural adjustment program (SAP), Kenya<br>
had practically developed local capacity to manufacture cars. Uhuru then<br>
manufactured by General Motors had attained more than 60% local content.<br>
The neighbouring countries had begun to import Uhuru from Kenya but we<br>
were more focused on exports to Europe than exploiting the regional<br>
market. The then Government which ironically introduced Nyayo car found<br>
it easier to import used cars from Japan. We had lost track of going<br>
through a learning curve and create local capacities. Similar tastes were<br>
developing in the textile industry that led to the shutdown of Rivertex.<br>
The change of policy from SAPs to liberalization gave rise to looting of<br>
public enterprises (Read Kenatco, KNTC, ICDC, Kisumu Molasses, Kenya<br>
National Assurance, AT&H etc.) Other countries notably Korea, Singapore<br>
and Australia turned to corporatization of state enterprises and they<br>
succeeded big. If there were to be any justice through TJRC, it is the<br>
repossession of these assets to enable us create a youth venture capital<br>
to help the youth set up enterprises. I am well aware that Kenya media<br>
knows who looted and the state of those assets.<br>
<br>
There is no need for us to be sorry about the past and keep on whining<br>
about the future. We must identify the opportunities that are glaring at<br>
us. It is not for nothing that God denied Middle East the land to grow<br>
food and gave them oil. We have a comparative advantage in certain areas<br>
that only after we exploit them that it becomes an opportunity. We must<br>
move from the past where opportunity meant a job opportunity to an<br>
environment where opportunity means you need to scratch your head and see<br>
a window where others have not seen one then exploit the chance. Africa<br>
and Middle East provides that window.<br>
<br>
We also must be patient and willing to take collective sacrifices for us<br>
to succeed as a nation. You visit India and see that they do not import<br>
many vehicles too. In as much as the Mahindra is slow and ugly, Indian<br>
buys it. The Tata truck may not be great but Indians buy it. We have<br>
exported raw coffee far too long as we import instant coffee from our raw<br>
materials. Building a value added industry of our resources for the<br>
African market will make Kenya the largest economy in Africa. In two<br>
years’ time consumption in Africa will top $3 trillion. I have not even<br>
talked about AGOA which remains unexploited. Think.<br>
<br>
<br>
Regards<br>
<br>
Ndemo.<br>
<div><div><br>
<br>
> PS,<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> I bring back the debate of your for presidency! I strongly feel you have a<br>
> lot to offer and wish Kenyans would vote beyond political rhetoric! What<br>
> do<br>
> you think should be done to promote such change in this country? Am<br>
> impressed by the Korea's experience beyond words and feel thoroughly<br>
> challenged. However, at times I think we do not want real change because<br>
> we<br>
> benefit from the chaotic system in our country.<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> Jane<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> From: kictanet-bounces+info=<a href="mailto:amwik.org@lists.kictanet.or.ke" target="_blank">amwik.org@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a><br>
> [mailto:<a href="mailto:kictanet-bounces%2Binfo" target="_blank">kictanet-bounces+info</a>=<a href="mailto:amwik.org@lists.kictanet.or.ke" target="_blank">amwik.org@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a>] On Behalf Of<br>
> James Mbugua<br>
> Sent: Tuesday, November 08, 2011 5:35 PM<br>
> To: <a href="mailto:info@amwik.org" target="_blank">info@amwik.org</a><br>
> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<br>
> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Korea<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> PS<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> That is enlightening stuff. Please also check out the last mile solutions.<br>
> As I have always told you, I think government should build the fiber to<br>
> the<br>
> home with an allocation from the national budget the same way we allocate<br>
> money for roads. Private sector can't do it and where they do, they will<br>
> charge an arm and a leg to "recoup investments."<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> They key lesson to be learnt also from those observations is productivity<br>
> per capita.<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> Kenyans are hard workers but we have inefficient production systems.<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> The amount a Chinese or Korean worker produces in an hour is probably what<br>
> a<br>
> Kenyan worker will take a day or two to produce.<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> We must think of ways of improving productivity.<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> Manual labourers must not be allowed to hold this economy hostage with<br>
> their<br>
> abysmal production levels and loud, unreasonable politics.<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> If you haven't guessed by now which manual labourers I speak of, think<br>
> Atwoli and his tea pickers who won't allow mechanization at the farms and<br>
> the dock workers who won't allow efforts to make the Port of Mombasa more<br>
> efficient.<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> Economic development theories dictate that mechanization takes place to<br>
> free<br>
> up manual labourers to move into other economic sectors. We must look<br>
> seriously at our level of productivity if we are to develop to Korea's<br>
> level.<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> James Mbugua<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> On Tue, Nov 8, 2011 at 5:19 PM, <<a href="mailto:bitange@jambo.co.ke" target="_blank">bitange@jambo.co.ke</a>> wrote:<br>
><br>
> I arrived in Korea yesterday for a Global e-Government conference. ITU<br>
> ranks Korea as number one in ICT diffusion. From the airport you see<br>
> people walk through with an e-passport using biometrics. The New Incheon<br>
> airport is 70 Kms west of Seoul, the capital and largest city of South<br>
> Korea with some 11 million inhabitants. It is one of the largest and<br>
> busiest airports in the world actually the world's fourth busiest airport<br>
> by cargo traffic, and the world's eighth busiest airport in terms of<br>
> international passengers in 2010.<br>
><br>
> Korea is about 99,000 sq Kms or one half of the Rift Valley Province of<br>
> Kenya with a population of 50 million and a GDP of $1 trillion (Kenya's<br>
> GDP is about $35 billion). In the 60's it was largely a donor recipient<br>
> country with a GDP less than that of Kenya and more than 60% of its<br>
> population below poverty. They have turned tables to be a member of the<br>
> OECD and a donor country over a short period.<br>
><br>
> For many years it mostly depended on the USA as its largest trade partner<br>
> but over a time they focused their energies on the Asian Markets. Its<br>
> trade with China, USA and Japan in 2010 figures stands at %190, $98 and<br>
> $90 billion respectively. They import a great deal of food and the reason<br>
> why we should not lease our land but use it to improve on our economic<br>
> growth. A Kg of meat here is $100 imported from Canada and Brazil.<br>
><br>
> I asked our Ambassador why we cannot sell our meat here. He says we do<br>
> not meat their standards. This should not be a problem since we have<br>
> broadband in most parts of the country that we can keep pace with the rest<br>
> of the world in keeping the records especially those required by various<br>
> standrds organization.<br>
><br>
> Back to Korea. ICTs are also deployed along the highways making it easier<br>
> to go through the toll stations and collecting all the revenues. You can<br>
> get data from government at every hour. You can for example know the<br>
> number of children born in a day throughtout the country. There is CCTV<br>
> practically everywhere. Crime is approaching zero.<br>
><br>
> There is an over supply of affordable public transport via the rail and<br>
> bus system all clean and on time. If you choose to drive on your own, you<br>
> are taxed at every new turn you make. The tax from the polluters who<br>
> cannot use public transport is used to subsidize the energy efficient<br>
> public tranportation.<br>
><br>
> Every child after high school has to go through the Military thus<br>
> instilling the discipline required in this competitive world. Because of<br>
> such discipline, they do everything very fast. We were literaly running<br>
> behind our hosts to catch up with them. In the Newspapers there is a Bank<br>
> executive who has committed suicide because he gave questionable loans to<br>
> friends. He killed himself for shaming his family and that he may not<br>
> have any friends.<br>
><br>
> My experience here confirms much of what we have been saying in this<br>
> forum. The problem is how to inculcate such high levels of ethical<br>
> standards as well as feeling of shame.<br>
><br>
><br>
> Regards<br>
><br>
><br>
> Ndemo.<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
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<div>><br>
> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform<br>
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The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.<br>
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