Africa-Press – Mauritius. The bill on the Mauritius Digital Promotion Agency was debated at second reading on Tuesday in the National Assembly. The main purpose of this Bill is to repeal and replace the National Computer Board Act and to provide for the establishment of the Mauritius Digital Promotion Agency.
The main objectives of this agency will be to: stimulate the growth of the information and communication technology (ICT) sector through the development of skills and innovation; achieve basic ICT competence among all population groups; and advise the Minister on the formulation of national policies for the promotion, development of ICTs and their application.
This bill aims to strengthen the information and communication technology sector through the development of skills and innovation. It also plans to ensure basic ICT competence among all population groups and to advise the Minister on national policies relating to the promotion and development of ICT.
“Innovating even more will be of great importance for the youth of the country. We need the proper training and infrastructure.
When we talk about the ICT sector, we must be proud because several foreign firms have settled in Mauritius,” said MP MSM during his speech. With this bill, he says, we are moving towards an efficient ICT sector.
“If we look at what India is doing, this sector involves a lot of young people.
With this bill, young Mauritians will also be able to develop computer applications and tools from an early age. We are also talking about artificial intelligence.
We live in a mode where everything is virtual. ” MP MMM recalled that the National Computer Board (NCB) was created in 1998 to advise the Ministry on the promotion and development of the ICT sector.
She points out that this new bill is called upon to advise the Minister himself. This is a big difference because the minister gives himself more powers.
This bill allows the Minister to grant himself greater powers in terms of the remuneration and employment of officers. “Of 13 members, no less than six will be appointed by the minister. There are risks of abuse of power and that is worrying.
Will the years of experience of employees be taken into account? The minister is proposing nothing more than the NCB Act, she says, because the new agency will have the same functions and entities will have overlapping responsibilities.
The Minister of Health affirms that the ICT sector is an integral part of our existence. Maurice must reach another level. “Thanks to technology, many Mauritians can work from home and children take their lessons from home.
We cannot forget how technology has been of great help during the Covid 19 period. ” As for the remuneration of the members of the board, the minister will be liable for it.
“I do not find what is serious if the minister approves the decisions.
” He also focused on the E-Health project.
“The digitization of Health is essential. Our system receives Rs 4.3 M consultations per year. The work is enormous. We must focus on digital transformation to innovate and eliminate paperwork. ”
The Private Parliamentary Secretary believes that if lawmakers do not keep pace with ICT developments, we will be in the past. Laws that have become obsolete must be replaced with new proactive legislation.
“It will be crazy if we put a stretch to our imagination to what technology can do. This new digital revolution has the potential to create the right environment to boost this sector.
” Teenah Jutton also spoke about access to computers and the disparity between different generations.
“We are also on the right track to set up a technological hub to promote research.
” The leader of the Rassemblement Mauricien spoke of service-oriented country.
Alluding to other developing countries in terms of online services, distance education, among others, he believes that Mauritius has failed. “Why did we start with big ambitions but then fail.
It’s that there was no vision. We need a new IT culture. ” The MP says he does not understand why Maurice is always behind when we already have the resources.
“Distance education has been a disaster. Until today we are fighting to have a digital health record, you still have to go to the court counters to pay the tickets.
How many government services do we have access to through mobile services?” The Minister of Business and Cooperatives spoke of the wonders that computers do and believes that we cannot turn our backs on technology.
“It’s not just a name change. The new agency will have several other mandates for digital transformation that the National Computer Board did not have.
This bill comes at the right time for new opportunities. ” He also focused on the importance of technology in the manufacturing sector to increase productivity.
“Manufacturers that don’t keep pace could find themselves out of competition. We have no choice but to be flexible to meet market demands. ”
“There is an urgent need to adopt new methods because everything around us is constantly changing. The service sector is increasingly moving towards digitalization.
It makes sense to bring in a new law in order to be up to date with developments,” said the MP for the majority. She also talked about data sharing. This new bill will also ensure data protection.
“In the field of artificial intelligence, more and more companies are adopting this technology and their systems are up to standard with the legislative and regulatory framework.
“Digital transformation promotes production and innovation but also involves risks. The minister will have a lot of powers, which are not always beneficial for a democracy,” said the Labor MP.
Why does the minister have so many powers when this is not the case in other countries? “Who will ensure that we have a foolproof certification transparency? It is interesting to note that Mauritius has always invested in the ICT sector regardless of the government in power.
” He also mentioned educational projects and lamented that many teachers still do not use computers in teaching.
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