Message-ID: <37282022.908431AA@AfricaOnline.Co.Ci> Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 11:02:27 +0200 From: Reid Harvey <mailto:ceramics@AfricaOnline.Co.Ci> Subject: Y2K in Africa To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
Living in Cote d'Ivoire I am becoming concerned about Y2K, and its consequences for Africa. I hope this message doesn't open a can of worms, discussion wise, but feel the need to suggest some very basic ideas that I have not been seeing anywhere else, about some precautions that could limit any chaos. IF my observations are correct, somebody desperately needs to get the word out.As background, rumor has it that KLM Airlines will not be flying over Africa during next January 1st. Apparently they don't trust computers on the ground. I wonder if they feel like they can also postpone flights thereafter as necessary. As a matter of fact I'm a bit concerned about just how far into January we'll be getting before various problems arise.
For one thing, I believe that electricity companies in Africa need to print up their first six months worth of bills for 2000, BEFORE January 1st, hopefully sometime in October or November. Tell the customers to forget about anybody reading the meter during that period. Similarly, various purchase orders and other correspondences should be prepared in advance.
Computer programs being used in the U.S. and elsewhere, to help bring about Y2K compliance, are too complicated. We need to make this a whole lot easier, and should think about telling people (starting with power companies) to buy some lap tops and 12 volt adapters. Make sure car batteries are in good shape. Think about getting hold of small generators and recharging units to keep the batteries functional. Begin right away to get the necessary files off of the various hard drives. Get hold of printers that work on 12 volts. Buy and install some fluorescent, 12 volt lighting on portable stands.
One could imagine that for smaller power companies, not dependent on those of the principle cities, all of this would not be a problem. After all, people are accustomed to power outages, know about generators, and can resort to lanterns and candles. People know about appropriate technology. But very often, in the principle cities the nerve center of the countries depend on twenty four hour electricity, and western style infrastructure. What about the ports in these cities, where generators haven't been used for years?
For example, in Abidjan there is one small neighborhood where I can buy a water filter. These are not available anywhere else because the city has a good water supply. The few stores that sell the filters do so for people from the interior of the country, primarily on a retail basis, for merchants who will sell these in other parts of the country. Residents of Abidjan know nothing about water filters.
What is going to happen in the cities that have western style infrastructure in those neighborhoods where the various utilities and other key companies are located, in cities like Abidjan, Dakar, Lagor or Accra? In Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam or Kinshasa? What about Lusaka, Harare, even Johannesburg?
Please forgive me if these issues have been raised. If so I do not know where. My concern is that a simpler approach be offered, one that does not involve costly programs. Could this be an issue of sustainability, where the appropriate solutions might be some of those outlined here? Not so far up country from where I live, when a part breaks on a water pump the pump is abandoned. How can we expect utility companies to search out complex programs and the experts to install and test them?
Reid Harvey Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire