CENTRALISE ALL ICT SERVICES - PM

MANZINI – Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini has called for the centralisation of all government ICT services.

The PM was speaking during a tour of the Royal Science and Technology Park (RSTP) structures located at Phocweni and Nokwane yesterday.

RSTP is a government entity aimed at promoting science, technology and innovation in the Kingdom of Eswatini.

During the tour, the PM emphasised the need for government information, communication and technology services (ICT) to be under a centralised system, where ministries could have access to advanced technological infrastructure and information sharing systems. 

Crucial

This, he said, was the crucial role to be played by the RSTP, which was important in setting Eswatini on a path towards harnessing technology to advance innovation and create wealth. 

According to the premier, the establishment of the RSTP was as a result of His Majesty King Mswati III’s visionary leadership and it was now in government’s hands to ensure that the economies of scales would significantly reduce the cost of government’s ICT operations, with greater levels of functionality, stability and security.

“As we forge ahead as a country with our work of advancing technology, it is important to assess if we are still on the right track to realising a return on investment, creating opportunities for emaSwati to thrive through science and technology and allow businesses to grow and remain relevant in an ever changing world, through the efficient use of technology,” he said. The premier added that it was a no brainer that government needed to invest in technology and urged the management of the RSTP to package their ideas and submit them as proposals to the Ministry of Information Communication and Technology (ICT). 

While making his remarks, the premier said hundreds of millions of Emalangeni had been invested in establishing the RSTP, with the sole intention of getting the country on the path of harnessing technology to advance innovation and by creating wealth among emaSwati. 

On the other hand, the premier said such a facility could not be sustained without investing in skills enhancement and capacity building for emaSwati to fully embrace and efficiently utilise technology. 

While emphasising on the need for emaSwati to regain their faith in government, the PM said the advent of the fourth industrial revolution meant countries and people who did not adapt to new technologies, and restructure to enhance their technological skills to accommodate new innovations would be left behind.

“As we forge forward as a country with our work of advancing technology, it is important to look back and assess if we are still on the right track to not only realising a return on investment but, most importantly, to creating opportunities for emaSwati to thrive through science and technology,” he said.

Relevant

This, he said, would allow businesses to grow and remain relevant in an ever changing world, through the efficient use of technology.

The tour began at the under construction Biotechnology Park located at Nokwane. This state of the art division of the RSTP will house a Biotechnology Research Centre, Incubation Facility, Service Centre and Biotech Incubator. Cabinet ministers were impressed during the tour of the Biotechnology Park, with the main component being the Service Centre almost 80 per cent complete.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: