So, after the Facebook – ICTA controversy, Trilock Dwarka, Chairman of the Authority, has admitted that the decision to block access to Facebook completely on Thursday 8th Nov (a black day for the Mauritian online democratic community) was excessive in an interview with L’Express on Tuesday 13th. But, he was shrewd enough to lay the blame completely on his director, Krishna Oolun. One can only wait for the latter’s reaction to confront the two versions. Is this the latest manifestation of the ‘Chairman vs. Director’ pandemic that seems to affect most of our parastatal bodies these days (look at Enterprise Mauritius, NPCC, IBA, MBC, etc.)?
However this did not prevent the guy from trying to find some justifications to the decision by evoking problems such as frauds, cyber-bullying and minors being at risk (Is the PM a minor, BTW, who needs so much protection?). The typical discourse of people who want to control what we read, see and hear… They say they want to protect us, but they are caught more often protecting themselves or their interests or those who can promote/demote them (their temporary Gods on earth)!
Anyway, isn’t it funny that the guy says there is a need to have a position paper on social networking? Bet you he did not even know what this means a few months ago. And, for god’s sake, will they have position papers on every new platform that gets created on the Internet (and the pace is accelerating; who, in Mauritius, knew about Facebook two years back?). So, let’s have a position paper on Hi5, MySpace, Orkut, every single blog and forum, e-mails, chats, newsgroups, YouTube, Yahoo, Flickr, Google, Amazon, and what not. At least, it would keep them busy… Provided they don’t end up with a silly campaign like the NCB anti-spam campaign (which did not have spam companies like RKCommunications out of business).
BTW, with Avinash, we were reflecting on how emblematic it is that those organisations get called Authority (IBA, ICTA) carrying this connotation of central control (whereas new media and Internet are the exact opposite). In France, the equivalent of the Independent Broadcasting Authority is the Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisuel (CSA) and the equivalent of ICTA is the Commission Nationale Informatique et Liberté (CNIL)… Would the CNIL do a similar (dis)service to Chirac, Sarkozy et tutti quanti? Yes, this is disservice as the response from the Mauritian Facebook Community is more violent than the initial parodic pages of the PM. Just type the name of Navin Rangoolam in the search field of Facebook and you will see what I mean. The groan is growing day by day… Aster la li pu vine vraiment vilain!
And finally, on telecommunications costs: how much time will they continue to take us for fools? When it comes to applying new reductions in tariffs, it takes a month or so to be able to do that for administrative reasons: it takes time to adjust and deploy the new tariffs (aren’t they computerised in this so-called cyber island?). But when it comes to raising prices, all operators are suddenly very efficient at deploying the new tariffs over a single day at times.
This is paradise island…
Lack of Freedom of Expression
Mauritius is confronted with the demons of authoritarianism, despotism, injustice and censorship which are common in any “banana Republic”. The temporary suspension of Facebook illustrates the lack of leadership amongst the policymakers, who are merely the instruments of the beloved Prime Minister! How dares he criticise Myanmar at the United Nations, when he is behaving like the military junta in Rangoon.
Furthermore, the reputation of this government has been tarnished by the unacceptable and illegal arrest of three journalists, more particularly G.Cateau and al. Whether they are culpable of any offence is for the court of justice to decide. If the Police is of the opinion that they have been slandered, sue them for damages, and not arrest journalists, who are merely fulfilling their public and civic obligations.
These two critica, albeit shameful incidents merely serve as a reminder that Mauritius lacks the maturity of a democracy. This is why there is a neccessity for a relatively more united opposition to challenge rudderless government. Does Mauritius needs another Mugabe?
Both the new and traditional media outlets are under threat by a government, lacking conviction, leadership, moral authority. Should we ask Navin if Kampala still has the freedom of expression and of the press?
As regards the price you’ve stated in your blog, is this a reponse from one of the ‘bossman’ of the supposedly body regulating the price of the internet in Mu
Sir/Madam,
The IPLC component in the ADSL service provision varies subject to the
business models in place at the ISP. They will be better placed to
elaborate on this matter. You are thus advised to contact the ISPs
directly since the Authority cannot disclose business models of an
operator to a third party.
A regards EASSy we understand that there has been significant task
undertaken at policy level to which information the regulator is not
privy at this stage, until such time that a high-level firmed up
position is not reached.
Regards
As regards the prices, here’s what one of the bossman of the supposedly body regulating the prices told me. The other issue was about EASSy; since its been too long now that even after big research over the net, i don’t even know if our country took part in it or not. In a web site it says yes, in another no! Where to situate myself, i don’t know!
Sir/Madam,
The IPLC component in the ADSL service provision varies subject to the
business models in place at the ISP. They will be better placed to
elaborate on this matter. You are thus advised to contact the ISPs
directly since the Authority cannot disclose business models of an
operator to a third party.
A regards EASSy we understand that there has been significant task
undertaken at policy level to which information the regulator is not
privy at this stage, until such time that a high-level firmed up
position is not reached.
Regards
cool interview: http://www.lexpress.mu/display_article.php?news_id=98206
you’re so right
A very conservative response from Mrs Chan-Meetoo. The arrest was fully unjustified, unreasonable, morally wrong and damaging to the treasured freedom of expression and of the press in Mauritius. if the Police is of the opinion that the Press had been guilty of slander, the police should use the libel law. many questions remained unanswered:
1) which Minister gave authorisation for the arrest?
2) was it the Minister of Justice?
3) was the PM aware of the ramifications of such arrest?
40 was the PM badly advised again?
The freedom of the press has become a joke in this country. Will anyone disclosing the truth will be arrested. Can our jails be able to accommodate such a volume of arrest.
Perhaps, the PM may want to set up the Media Authority as a QUANGO, regulating all aspects of the media indsutry, and appoint Chritina as its first chief executive or chair.
@ PCL
You repeat yourself…
And, BTW, I don’t think it’s aminister or the PM who gave instructions for arresting the journalists. The police decided to do that to protect themselves. And they have only succeeded to attract more attention to the alleged scandal, be it true or false…
The same goes for ICTA and the Facebook affair. It’s not the PM who decided to block Facebook but a foolish servile ‘ti toutou’ at ICTA who thought he could gain good points with the PM. But, again, they have only succeeded in attracting more virulent criticism on Facebook itself with the creation of special groups against the PM!
Madame,
If you could spare some time and smile a bit: post the picture illustrating your (very nice) blog to this address (http://www.cracked.com/craptions/), and wait to see the effect… Very childish, yes, but cathartic in a sense too…
how can someone who doesn’t understand his f**ing hair is the worlds worst piece of s**t looking thing can have any f**ing authority on any f**ing anything,
i bet hsi f**ing children think of him as a junkyard d*g.
tell him to go get f**ed.
he is classified in the same ranks as all of those mullet sporting rednecks in the med west of the states.
what really shocks me is what kind of people vote for that kind of s**t.
@4lyf
Though I can understand your anger, I will ask you to cool down a bit on the rude language next time…
thanks for keeping the real meaning of the words intact, if only MBC had censoring qualities as you.
i would also like to clear the few grammatical mistakes:
i bet hIS f**ing
same rank as
the mId west
thanks