Kamutula,

Why should govts try to (unduly) focus or direct the efforts of the private sector and entrepreneurs? Although there might be certain areas that govts might wish the private sector to invest in, they must be viable and provide a decent return on investment, and still an enabling environment must be created.

Further, such a posture could also be seen as counterintuitive, along with fettering entrepreneurship and capitalism, especially if the private sector has been “chomping on the bit” for more progressive environment.

In my opinion, it really boils down to govts being clear about the results they want (e.g. CapEx and jobs). Wouldn’t it not be better to foster enthusiam and investment generally, esepcially when private sectors tend to be risk averse, as opposed to trying to “force” business in areas where the long term benefits and consequences are unknown?

Anton,

You are speaking to the converted!

However, the sad and sobering thing is that although the private and entrepreneurial sectors should and hopefully will continue to do what they are doing to push the envelope within the construct within which we operate in the region, it also means that inevitably, we (as countries) will continue to be steps (generations!) behind the rest of the world. It also means we are unlikely to ever achieve the critical mass needed to really move our countries forward, at least from ICT/tech perspective and in comparison with the rest of the world.

To varying degrees, I do not think policymakers need to fully understand the intricacies of a particular type of technology or industry. It is more about creating the enabling environment to allow the private and entrepreneurial sectors to make things happen and explore the possibilities. This is where we seem to be falling short…

The private sector and the entrepreneurs are and have been the drivers of ICT. Thus, the more they can receive the focus and ( hopefully the ) direction, the better.

The more we focus there, the more positive we will feel about the future. Once the tipping point is made in those sectors, the Gov’ts will follow. The challenge at the level of governments, policies, public statements etc. is that they do not, and maybe cannot, understand how current their definition of the ‘future’ is. While they are talking about business process automation, digitizing, and databases, the rest of the world is talking about 3d printing (custom manufacturing), autonomous flight (drone/communication technology), big data mining, quantum computing and digital currencies.

There is a dearth of young, risk-embracing, inquisitive and creative minds driving said policies and statements, and therefore by definition, those policies and statements will always be reactive vs proactive.

I look forward to the day when at events like COTED, BitBarbados, etc.. we are given ‘speeches’ by persons who are daily, practically advancing the future of the Caribbean, painting that vision of what we want our future to look like, and doing things to make it happen.