You are hereOh the Press and their insatiable hunger for headlines
Oh the Press and their insatiable hunger for headlines
Last week my work of the last eight months for United Nations Economic Commission of Latin America and the Caribbean doing a Public ICT and Information Society assessment of the Caribbean region was presented in a regional Policy Makers Seminar at Barbados.
It has been a shock to read a note published in a local Barbados newspaper highlighting only negative parts of the extensive 12 page Public ICT Profile I put together for Barbados.
The news article, posted by The Barbados Advocate (click here to read it) could not be farther from the real nature and spirit of my assessment of Barbados.
One wonders, if I was there all the time, the two whole days of the event and the morning after, why couldn't the journalist approach me and at least ask about these issues...
I consider Barbados one of the countries in the Caribbean with the most careful and proper approach to ICT implementation, usually following an initial consultation with a phased development approach.
My assessment points that out and even highlights it as a "good practice" and model for the region.
All the "negative" things quoted are actually lessons learned by the Barbados government in their implementation process and the experience of the last five years and were submitted to me in writing by government representatives themselves.
Once again, we face an awful case of bad interpretation and portrait of facts by journalists...
Back to our recent discussions, one wonders if we would not be better off in the hands of bloggers and their trends...
I have sent the following message to The Barbados Advocate...
September 12, 2006
Editorial Department
The Barbados Advocate,
Barbados, West Indies.
Dear Sirs,
Last week my work of the last eight months as an independent consultant for United Nations Economic Commission of Latin America and the Caribbean doing a Public Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Information Society assessment of the Caribbean region was presented at a regional Policy Makers Seminar at Barbados.
I have been shocked to read a note published by The Barbados Advocate highlighting only negative parts of the intensive 12 page Public ICT Profile of Barbados I put together in consultation with local stakeholders.
The news article could not be farther from the real nature and spirit of my assessment of Barbados.
It is unfortunate that the journalist did not contact me before making such an unbalanced summary of my assessment, given the fact that I was at the event the whole two days, at all times, and the morning after, and repeatedly requested feedback and comments on the issues covered in the report.
I consider Barbados one of the countries in the Caribbean with the most careful and proper approach to the implementation of Information Technologies in the Public Sector. My assessment properly documents, reports and highlights Barbados common practice of, upon performing an initial consultation and assessment, pursuing a phased development approach as a "good practice" and a model for the rest of the region.
The "negative" findings quoted in the article are actually lessons learned by the Barbados government in their implementation process and a valuable experience from the last five years. Based on these lessons, the Barbados government has taken diverse initiatives to address those issues, streamline its operations, become more efficient and provide better services to its citizens.
I expect these clarifications to be properly published in the interest of properly representing the nature of the research findings and of the quality of work performed by the Barbados Government.
Sincerely,
Carlos Miranda Levy,
Information Society Consultant.
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