[governance] ccTLDs and developing countries

[kwasi boakye-akyeampong]

Yehuda,
   
  Thanks for your comments and taking the trouble to research and respond to my questions. My reason for joining this list is to learn by interacting with you all so that I can effectively contribute to the debate when I return to Ghana later this year. I therefore appreciate every comment and opinion expressed when I post questions to this list in addiktion to what I gather from general discussions.
   
  You hit the nail on the head when you said "... Ghanaian's (and for that matter citizens of developing countries) need to get behind .gh before the rest of the world will". Trust me, people (I'm generalising here) don't understand the issues. The government doesn't, most probably the regulator doesn't and may be, the ISPs don't. Most IT professionals (me included) don't don't have a clear understanding of the issues and unless people understand they will not be in the position to contribute meaningfully. I have mentioned it before on this forum; in March 2002, ICANN held a general meeting in Accra but the IT community in Ghana was not even aware something that crucial was happening in their back yard. Those who happened to know did not understand things well enough to see the need to contribute and the organisers did not find it necessary to publicise this event even among the IT community meanwhile we had a sitting ICANN-At-Large Director co-ordinating (more or less)
 hosting the event.
   
  The ghnic (www.nic.gh) website has not been updated for years. They don't respond to e-mail enquiries. NCS, the company who owns ghana.com claims to be managing the .gh but would not respond to e-mail enquiries (matter of fact, I don't know the difference between ghana.com and ghnic).
   
  Wel, I'm trying to understand the issues so that I can stir up the debate when I return home and hope to be able to generate sufficient civil society interest to influence change.
   
  Talking about language, you are right about we not having websites in any local languages. Unfortunately, Ghana, like most African countries, doesn't have a local language. We have english as our official language which we can't even speak well. It will surprise you to know that students are punished in schools for not speaking english to the extent that some parents have resorted to communicating with their children in English at home and in certain circles it is considered "posh" when your children can speak only English but can't speak your language. Despite the fact that English is the widely spoken language globally, its effect on our development has been devasting.
   
  You are right, there are lots of fundamental issues that need to be addressed at home but without a well-informed and knowledgeable population who understand these global issues, every effort to bridge the digital divide (in this specific context) gets frustrated).
   
  I hope you will continue to take the trouble to answer my questions as and when I post them.
   
  Regards,
  Kwasi


yehudakatz at mailinator.com wrote:
  Kwasi,

Take a moment ....

You can be a 'Big Fish' in a small pond ...
Or
You can be a 'Small Fish' in a big pond ...

Aside from all the things Ghana must overcome in itself,
.gh must mature in its own,
Before
.gh can be competitive in the ccTDL arena.

-

If Ghanaian's were to develop web sites in their own mother-tongue with english
as a second language, so that interactive exchange can grow within Ghana into a
saturation point, upon which .gh would be ready for ccTDL competition.

Ghana has eight (8) languages:
Akan, Twi, Dagbani, Fante, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, Ga, English
How many web sites are representative of these languages in the .gh domain?

Ghanaians can't even register (go to a .gh registration site) a domain in their
native language, seem to me GhNIC should at least offer web-pages in a
selection of Ghana's local languages. 

Cost, you are absolutely right in questioning the cost of the .gh domains. I
found a .gh register charging a 35$ annual fee.

For a Country whos GDP/Capita is $1,900 annually, 35$ is very disproportionate.
Ghanaian Citizens need to address this (protest), especially when a .info
domain can be purchased at 10$ etc..

Personally I would not be opposed to an underdeveloped country having a
two-tier pricing methood, a price for Ghanaians and a price for the rest of the
world.

The 'Point' is, Ghanaian's need to get behind .gh before the rest of the world
will.

-

TO Answer your questions directly:

1. ccTLDs - potential source of income for developing countries?
aws: NO - not until they reach a saturation point.

2. Are there any direct benefits of ccTLDs to: countries?
aws: To the Country itself yes, a smaller benefit lies outside the Country
(Internationally)

3. Are there any direct benefits of ccTLDs to: businesses?
aws: Its an open market competition, 
Better to be a Big Fish in a small pond (have a safety-net)
rather than a Small Fish in a big pond.

Ghanaian businesses looking to enter the big pond, must have a 
industrial-base ready along with the opportunity (right place at the right
time).
Think of how the Japanese entered the US auto market, 
(right place at the right time)

-

http://go.hrw.com/atlas/norm_htm/ghana.htm

http://www.nic.gh/
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