BOCRA Annual Report 2016 (Web)
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OUR VISION IS TO HAVE A CONNECTED AND INFORMED SOCIETY. OUR PURPOSE IS TO REGULATE THE COMMUNICATIONS SECTOR FOR THE PROMOTION OF COMPETITION, INNOVATION, CONSUMER PROTECTION AND UNIVERSAL ACCESS. TRANSPARENCY Our decision making will be open and informed by consultation with various stakeholders. We will embrace the diverse interests of our different stakeholders. CONSISTENCY We will ensure that our decisions are fair, predictable and dependable. We will be objective in our decision making and apply remedies that are proportionate. PEOPLE CENTERED We believe that our people are indispensable assets who drive our success through their commitment to excellence. We shall therefore harness individual skill and trengths and work as one. INNOVATION We will continuously explore new ways in designing proactive regulatory interventions that will respond timeously and effectively to market demands and the latest technology trends. ACCOUNTABILITY We are responsible for our actions and decisions, we take due care in the use of public resources and adhere to internationally acceptable governance principles. Annual Report 2016 1 Chairman’s Statement The current Board was appointed with effect from July 2015. Although we started three months into the period under review, we were able catch up with the work plan for the period. Our work was made relatively easy by our predecessors, who had crafted the BOCRA 2014-2019 Strategic Plan and signed a Shareholder Compact Agreement with the Minister of Transport and Communications. Our journey so far in dealing with communications issues has been educative, engaging and challenging. n setting a performance target for Usage, suggesting that Botswana for Access and Usage are and may for BOCRA, the Strategic Plan had already surpassed 3 - the target continue to be a moving target. adopted the International set for Usage. The 2015 statistics Notwithstanding this fact, they remain Telecommunication Union placed Botswana at 4.22 for Access a good measure for any country (ITU) Measuring Information and 2.37 for Usage, suggesting what to gauge its ICT development. In ISociety Index for Access and Usage appears to be a decline in terms of the case of Botswana, the rankings of ICTs. It seeks to grow Botswana’s Usage. However, the 2015 Global ICT indicate that the country’s ICT ICT Access to 6 points and ICT Usage Development Index (IDI) rankings by development is showing positive to 3 points by the year 2019. When the same ITU moved Botswana six growth. However, it is not growing the strategy was developed in 2014, places up from position 117 in 2010 fast enough compared to other Botswana was ranked 3 in terms of to 111. countries globally. It is therefore a Access and 1 in terms of Usage. At the time, a ratio of 6:3 for Access and It is worth clarifying the apparent Usage, respectively, was considered up and down movement in ITU a stretch target or in strategy rakings that seem to suggest that, development nomenclature, a Big as a country, our ICT performance Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG). is inconsistent. Firstly, the ICT Usage decline noticeable in 2015 followed The 2015/16 reporting period BOCRA’s intensified efforts on marks the second year of the Type Approval of communications implementation of the strategy and equipment, specifically mobile a good time to check if BOCRA phones and two-way radio handsets, is on track towards achieving the to flush out grey products from the BHAG by 2019. The implementation Botswana market. Secondly, the of the strategy over the reporting ITU revised the measurements for period turned up mixed results. A broadband services such that they good number of the objectives set included parameters that were left were achieved reflecting a good out in the 2014 calculations for Usage. performance in the execution of the Through studies and input from the strategy. membership, the ITU periodically rethinks the way it collects and What is encouraging is that later in interprets data that is used to access the year 2014, the very year that the global ICT development and rank challenge to BOCRA, together with all strategy was developed, ITU ranked countries so that it is as accurate as other ICT stakeholders, to put more Botswana 4.06 for Access and 3.03 possible. Therefore, measurements effort into the development of the 2 Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority Mr. Peter van Riet-Lowe BComm. (Hons) in Economics and Bachelor Comptable in Accounts and i Finance (Hons), University of Johannesburg Investment Management Certificate (IMC), (UK) Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and FCPA Annual Report 2016 3 Chairmans Statement (continued) ICT sector for Botswana to stake her the postal sector, though reflective claim on the globe. of what is happening across the world, is one area that needs “Our immediate action My Board has noted that some special attention given the strategic going forward is to of the objectives set for the communications role to Batswana, advocate for approval period under review could not be particularly the far flung citizens. implemented due to delays in the The development of commercial of outstanding approval of enabling legislation broadcasting is equally critical for legislation. These and policies. Our immediate action purposes ensuring plurality, diversity include the going forward is to advocate for and choice to enhance Botswana’s Communications approval of outstanding legislation. democracy. Challenges experienced Regulatory Authority These include the Communications by our commercial broadcasters in Regulatory Authority Act, 2012 terms of not playing enough local Act, 2012 Regulations, Regulations, the Electronic Records content have been noted with keen the Electronic (Evidence) Regulations, the Electronic interest. Above all, the Board is Records (Evidence) Communications and Transactions alive to the trends in technological Regulations, Regulations. These pieces of developments that are challenging regulatory instruments will be conventional communications the Electronic instrumental in aiding the regulatory in ways never before imagined. Communications function in the era of over reliance Developments such as the advent of and Transactions on the Internet for transactions. In Over-the-Top services have arrived Regulations.” particular, they will be critical to the and have been embraced by the development of online services market. However, these have brought including e-government and with them challenges for regulatory electronic banking. entities across the world. It is my fervent hope that a solution to all the Looking ahead, we have also taken challenges noted here-in lies with all note of a few issues that will require stakeholders, including the Regulator, Mr. Peter van Riet-Lowe the Board, Management and Staff to policy maker and market licensees. Board Chairperson focus on for the benefit of the market. It is our commitment as BOCRA Issues of Quality of Service for mobile to find the solutions now to meet telephony and the Internet are not consumer expectations in keeping at desirable level. Performance of with our ‘People Centred’ value. 4 Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority Annual Report 2016 5 Board of Directors 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 6 Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority 1. PETER MCCLEAN VAN RIET-LOWE 2. WILHEMINA T. MAKWINJA 3. THAPELO KALAKE (Chairperson) (Vice Chairperson) (Member) Peter Van Riet-Lowe is an Investment Wilhemina T Makwinja is a human Thapelo Kalake is the Director of Shared Manager with over twenty years of resources professional currently holding Services at Water Utilities Corporation experience and pension fund expertise. the position of Director of Human (WUC) where he is responsible and He is a Director of the Botswana listed Resources at Air Botswana. She has accountable for corporate assets and all company, Chobe Holdings Limited. Peter is worked for several organisations core business supporting infrastructure the Founder of Fleming Asset Management including Debswana, Botswana Power and services including Information Botswana. He previously held the position Corporation, Gem Diamonds and Services, Property and Administration, of CFO at the Windorf and Manica Groups. Bokamoso Hospital. She has also carried Security, and Fleet Services. He is In addition, Peter holds directorships out Human Resources consultancy work Chairman of Board of Trustees of the in various Botswana based private on issues of Restructuring; Talent/Career Universal Access and Services Fund companies and serves on the Board of Management; Performance Management (UASF). He holds a Master of Business certain non-governmental organisations. and HR Outsourcing. She holds a Masters Administration degree with emphasis Peter holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Sociology and Social Policy on Finance. He also holds a Bachelor (Hons) in Economics and Bachelor Comp from University of Liverpool, UK; an of Science Engineering, Industrial table in Accounts and Finance (Hons) Honours Degree in Sociology and Social Engineering with minors in Economics from the University of Johannesburg, an Policy from University of Essex, UK. and Mathematics from Western Michigan Investment Management Certificate (IMC) University. Kalamazoo, MI. USA. He also (UK), Certified Management Accountant acquired Bachelor of Science, Part 1 with (CMA) and FCPA. the University of Botswana. 4. JOSEPH MalopE-MatomE 5. MONAMETSI KalayamotHO 6. ONKAGETSE PUSOENTSI (Member) (Member) (Member) Joseph Malope Matome is the Founder Monametsi Kalayamotho is an