Now we are talking my brother. In my opinion (I might be wrong), NCS has been lacking the capacity to handle policy possibly because of this kind of thinking...which we should probably change.
The Act that creates NCS states that their function is;
Part VII of the Act covers sections 84 to 103. Section 84 establishes
the National Communications Secretariat as a Ministerial department in
the Ministry in charge of communications. The function of the
Secretariat is to advise the government on communications policy which:
- promotes the benefits of technological development to all users of communication facilities;
- fosters national safety and security, economic prosperity and delivery of critical social services;
- facilitates and contributes to full development of competition and efficiency on the provisions of services; and,
- fosters full and efficient use of telecommunication resources including radio spectrum.
I would dare to suggest that this is the first issue we need to change. Give the NCS their rightful place to PROMOTE, FOSTER, FACILITATE the full development of ICT. At the very least, they are not biases to any enrtity...Industry, Consumer or activist. We put NCS in the periphery in the last ICT policy project...maybe that was our undoing!!
At the very least, the Act demands..and we must abide. And they are not biased. Anyone else ...especially...and individual....might be influenced, biased or bought.
Again...my initial thoughts..I could be wrong.