An interesting take on the difficulty Canadian SMEs have in competing for Canadian government contracts: http://bit.ly/kJNie "it's high time the government became an incubator by buying and trying home-grown technologies and introduce policies and procurement practices that actually encourage small firms." "We need someone who thinks for the SMEs (small- and medium-sized enterprises), a standalone agency that won't be captive to the public administration, will take chances, be bold and promote SMEs like a big lobbying firm and then we'd measure its success and achievements". It is worth noting that Blackberrys are the smartphones of choice in Canadian government offices (Reseach in Motion is a Canadian company). Would such a solution, basically creating an agency whose sole purpose is to lobby for SMEs in govt, work in Kenya? And no, the ICT Board's mandate appears to be different. Saidi On Mon, Jul 13, 2009 at 3:19 PM, wesley kiriinya <kiriinya2000@yahoo.com>wrote:
Make sure the pot is big enough to cook vizuri. Hatutaki vitu zimeiva nusu nusu.
8~)
--- On *Mon, 7/13/09, Gakuru Alex <alexgakuru.lists@gmail.com>* wrote:
From: Gakuru Alex <alexgakuru.lists@gmail.com> Subject: Re: [Skunkworks] ICT regulation - How it would affect the future. To: "Skunkworks forum" <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke> Date: Monday, July 13, 2009, 5:07 PM
Below is what we really ... Will soon be asking you for local IT entrepreneurs resumes..... something cooking... no details at this point in time.... cheers,
----- As Technology Needs Grow, One Sector Has No Shortage of Jobs By Kim Hart Monday, July 13, 2009
Platinum Solutions, a Reston information technology firm that serves the government, needs to find new employees so fast that it hired four full-time recruiters. At any given time, the company has 20 to 40 job openings, and it recently opened an office in West Virginia that has 65 employees.
"We're hiring as fast as we can," said chief executive Laila Rossi. "The past six months have been the peak for us."
She said the company used to have a new employee start every few weeks. Now it's common to see nine or 10 begin work in a single day, week after week.
At a time when most industries are slashing costs and headcounts, IT firms in the Washington region are experiencing growth thanks to continued government contracts and an increased reliance on technology in nearly every sector of the economy. The demand for IT expertise has helped keep the local economy stronger compared with other regions of the country.
The federal government is expected to increase spending on technology services by 3.5 percent over the next five years, according to a report released last week by Input, a Reston market research firm. The estimate is lower than last year's growth forecast of 4.1 percent, but "fairly optimistic considering the change in administration and the economic situation," said Deniece Peterson, manager of industry analysis.
"This is a spend-to-save administration," she said, meaning that the government is investing in IT systems now to create savings down the road in health care, energy costs and agency communication networks. She expects the stimulus package to contribute at least $15 billion to the industry over the next two to three years.
And President Obama's push to increase the federal workforce and rely less on contractors will still create opportunities for local firms, she said.
"It will only add to the need for IT services," she said. "Even if there is a slight bump in federal employment, the government still has to supply the technological infrastructure for those workers. There's still a gap to be filled by the contracting community."..
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/12/AR2009071202...
On Mon, Jul 13, 2009 at 11:03 AM, Martin Muraguri<martinmur87@gmail.com<http://us.mc347.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=martinmur87@gmail.com>> wrote:
With better use of the internet and making it a basic mode of communication ... while involving , education, business and social life, we will not only have an informed kenya ...but one that is up to date.
That thing for "ban" sounds wrong... we could try ...face off .. without giving the public... the impression that that is happening... eventually people can attend to business while on the bus to/ from work/ home, submit assignments on the bus to school.
All this adds up to productivity ... With an I -phone u can watch videos on TED's website.. the info that recides there will do great good in the ears of many kenyans .....
Maina.
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