How fair is taxation of dollar charging enterprise done i.e. in the housing, computing and media industry, given the shifting dollar rate to the shilling? Can Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) collect those moneys from companies that get super profits from charging Ugandans in dollars? Are Ugandans being robbed? What are the standards and how does URA and Ministry of Finance tackle the problem?
Despite abundant tools to watch cable and satellite based television channels, Uganda has only one entity providing for such services, the so-called DSTV. They charge all Ugandans in dollars or at least their charges are pegged to dollar rates. Many Ugandans could freely watch those channels, if they knew the technology and how it works! Infact, the monopoly has stunted technological development in that sector, where URA would be collecting a lot of money. Ugandans today, will be making parabola dishes, decoders and designing high frequency antennas. It is a very big industry. If one has a dual band decoder or a free to air satellite equipment, with a feedhorn For example, one will be able to watch many of the channels sold to Ugandans by DSTV. Luckily, majority satellites are located at the equator for wider signal coverage, even though they might not be beaming their signals into Uganda directly. Why should Uganda children not be able to access the learning channel, discovery or animal planet for example? BBC has education transmission in sciences and art fields for example. The same channels could be accessed through the Internet, which offers abundant free education tools. The new Ministry of Information Technology will have to start on a higher note. For instance it will have to set up a commission of inquiry to get details into why innovators i.e. those of voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) were not given the necessary support by Uganda Communications Commission? Secondly the information ministry will have to solicit information on how quick and feasible given infrastructure can accelerate information communication spatial spread. Thus will also have to attend to immediate Uganda computer and information communications professionals needs and how they can be helpful to the nation. Not least, the ministry will be seeking to look into problems faced by the Ministries of Education, Health, Local Governments, the department of information, Uganda Broadcasting Services, Uganda Posta and Works etc. Another scenario is to study how banks especially, have faired in mitigating cyber crime now that banks are fully computerised and not loosing millions digital fraud. Crucially important is to study the failures of the Ministry of Communication and UCC. What happened to all projects that were initiated i.e. rural communications development programme? To what extent has those projects be attained, sustained and who benefited? Why are districts, not connected yet such a project existed under the UCC? Accountability for the dollar funds collected from all communication mediums including Internet service providers and FM radios? What happened to the Uganda portal launched by MOHWC? Who designs Uganda software, and of Uganda Revenue Authority? If not Ugandans why foreigners design out computerised taxation system? In Kampala, for every ten Internet cafés the majority, are run by Pakistanis or Indians. At the counter of Internet cafés there might be a Ugandan. Usually s/hes merely working for a few thousand shillings per day; ordinarily it is a university graduate in one computer field. Ugandans, who have tried the trade, have abandoned it under threatening dollar charges, by service providers. Even the zero taxation has not helped matters, Ugandans without any source of stable funding and staggering power connection bills they seem to have bitten the dust. For those who have tried alternative power sources, costs have eaten away all their savings. There is more to this, corruption and hypocrisy among Ugandans. Why is it that Ugandan could not design a digitised driving permits, Uganda maps, a national identity card, NSSF software, soldiers salary registers, automated transcripts, public services workers register, automated audited Global Fund Accounts, computerised Postal Office letters tracking system etc. is there a need to have a computerised warehouse billing system? The World Bank funded Internet based health project would be placed in every district and referral hospital. UTL Internet connection fees for example of between 64kps to 256 kps cost between 90 and 300 United States dollars. That is between 162000 and 540000 Uganda shilling per month. At my home in Europe I could pay much less, a figure of 250 crowns per month that is 37500 shillings. It was higher, since I had added services i.e. free website at more than 100 mega bytes and five email addresses and free support. I could also install and make local and international telephone calls using skype software, without extra cost! More so I was able to watch all television channels of my choice i.e. BBC, CNN, animal channel, discovery, learning channel and also connect to offer my children free lessons in any course of their choice over the internet. I also did some of my advanced diploma education over the Internet. I paid nothing for those services. Interestingly, the telecoms conference held in Kampala between may 23 and 25 discovered, there was an interconnection between postal services and information communication technologies! Christmas card sent to me from Europe last year, I got them in March after complaining bitterly to Uganda posta. A packet of software sent to me April 2004 I received it in April 2005. It took them a whole month to locate where such packets were located in the post office. Packets or letters are not registered on arrival! ICT hasnt solved any problem if marginal or none so far! Bwanika - You can apply now 1. Provision of all Telecommunications services such as VOIP voice over internet protocol under regulations issued by the Uganda communications commission 2. For international data Gateway (IDG) to facilities to internet services provides (ISP) call centre operators, data outsourcing companies, educational and research institutions, etc that way wish to install their own gateway 3. For establishment and operation of very small aperture terminal facilities and 4. resalers: to new entrants in the isp market operating in the industrial, security and medical band, i.e. the 2.4 GHz and 5.7 GHz Bwanika ________ http://www.idrconsulting.com --> for your consultancy needs _______________________________________________ Ugandanet mailing list Ugandanet@kym.net http://kym.net/mailman/listinfo/ugandanet % UGANDANET is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). 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