I was happy to see this post advocating a return to the concept of
"development of basic supporting infrastructure." Especially over the
past couple of years I have been in countless meetings and seminars in
which many learned participants have climbed all over each other to see
who can be the fastest and the loudest to "go beyond" connectivity. The
basic reality is that these fundamentals are not yet in place for huge
numbers of people, including significant rural and urban populations in
Latin America. My personal experience in rural development for more than
a quarter century is that if people have the basic infrastructure and
tools available, that their own innate creativity and
entrepreneurial/survival skills will figure out how to use them. A few
well-timed catalytic inputs by others (from the "north" or "south" or
both) don't hurt either.

In UNDP we have talked about a "development dynamic" in which a
structured dialogue involving multiple aspects of ICTs takes place
represented by all sectors of society and that this process, once set in
motion, can lead to enlightened and sustainable national policies and
strategies toward the information society <http://www.opt-init.org/>.

I would submit that something quite similar can also happen at the local
community level when innovative technologies and creative social
inventions are combined as in
<http://www.dos.cornell.edu/cresp/ecopartners/project.htm> and continue
to be leveraged in a virtuous circle.

But does anybody care? Why aren't such "local solutions" being clustered
instead of stove-piped by development agencies and governments so as
create a "basic supporting infrastructure"?  If they don't do it, who
will? The private sector?

Gary Garriott
E-governance Adviser
LAC  SURF - UNDP
PO Box 6314, Zone 5
Panama City, Panama
Tel. 507 265 8168/8153
Fax  507 265 8445 



On June 17, 2004, Keith Birkhold <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> ...If a technology can improve productivity or quality of life, if the
> infrastructure is there to support the new technology, if the people
> with the need have the money or financing for the initial investment,
> and if those people have some exposure to the technology so that they
> can see how it will improve their situation, then you are correct - they
> will adapt the new technology.
> 
 ...snip...
> 
> Development of basic supporting infrastructure is how I have seen the
> most dramatic tranformation take place.
> 
 ...snip...
> 
> I would propose that changes can be made in other countries by finding
> local solutions for basic supporting infrastructure as well. Once that
> foundation is in place, then information networks, economies, etc...
> will evolve.



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