Morning all, I trust you have had a well-deserved, long weekend. Today we kick-off the BPO discussion by focusing on the BPO Policy environment. Indeed Policy informs both the Legal, Regulatory and Insititutional frameworks such that if we get things wrong at the Policy level, then naturally, the rest of the frameworks will not fly. The BPO Research (synthesis attached) established very comprehensive Policy frameworks in the selected countries of study - S.Africa, Mauritius and India. When compared to the Kenyan situation, the Researchers found that at a National level, BPO is simply listed as one of the six KEY sectors of the Economic Pillar within Vision2030. They also found that the National ICT Policy (2006) does not explicitly mention BPO - even though some of the objectives may implicitly relate to BPO. Which brings us to the specific questions for discussion: Q1: Should we at a National level be placing emphasise on an "ICT Sector" or on a "BPO Sector"? which of the two should be a subset of the other? Q2: Beyond the BPO policy statements in our V2030 document, dont we need to do more by creating clear and monitorable plans/targets for the BPO sector - BPO Strategic Framework? How should this be done? We have only today for your views on this since tmrw we move into the Legal and Regulatory frameworks. walu. Encl: BPO Research Synthesis1:-Policy, Legal, Regulatory Frameworks ----e-Discussion Program outline----- 1.The policy, legal and institutional frameworks for BPO sector (2days, Walu moderating) 2.Subsidies accorded to BPO sector (2days, Walu moderating) 3.Human capacity issues (2days, Walu moderating) 4.Youth and gender issues (2days, Dr. C. Adeya moderating) 5.Strengths and challenges for Kenya as a BPO destination (2days, Dr. C. Adeya moderating