from voyageslumierehaiti@xxxxxxxxx
I've just been reading a fantastic book - called:
"Thank you for Being Late" by Thomas L. Friedman,
the well known New York Times journalist.
The name is a bit of misnomer, because basically he
has written about the enormous advances made in
technology in the past 20 years, but also the changes
in Mother Nature.
It is a fascinating book and if you haven't read it get it
today!!
But the part I wanted to ask the membership of the "Corbett
List:" is why are there not techie people building tablets which
are aimed at the Haitian lower economy market? I know
that the present Chief Exec of Digicel has started making
tablets in Haiti for sale at home and abroad, but these are
around the US$200 mark and people would not be able to
afford them.
In Friedman's book he travels to India and finds out about a tablet
created by an Indian guy for the lower income market. A maid in
the house of one of the men involved in producing these tablets,
spoke to the wife and said - "I've heard about these tablets, but what
are they about and how much". The wife said you should buy one for
your daughters to help them in school, as it has all kinds of free apps on
it incl. one to teach them English (and all Indians want to learn English!).
The maid asked how much it was and the wife said "1500 rupees" (US$30)
and the maid said, "surely you mean 15, 000 rupees: and she said no
1500!! The maid was floored, but soon went out and bought some for her
kids.
The book also talks about the thousands of apps that are available for
free to instruct people in all kinds of things, incl. how to prepare for an
interview, and of course all different kinds of languages.
Why is no-one making these in Haiti to help the schoolkids!! If I'm wrong
and there is someone then why has no-one done their marketing!!
And why my Haitian American friends on this list can you not find it within
yourselves
to put together a company and make these to help your fellow citizens to
enable them to have help in their education etc?!!
I was so taken with this guy's book that I started reading one of his
earlier
books: "The World is flat" - adnd this is a Brief history of the 21st
century.
I've only just started it but already I've seen a business opportunity
which I
think may have been started in Haiti, but it doesn't seem to have gone far.
This is about calling centres - these are call centres which have been
outsourced
to Indian companies. They are dealing with all kinds of business from Delta
lost bags dept. to banking enquiries, to stores - all of these are based
in the US!!
They teach the Indians to speak with a more American/Canadian/British accent
and the people don't even know that they are not in the US. At the time of
writing
this book (2005) Friedman said that there were 245,000 Indians working in
these call centers
at a fraction of the cost of American staff. They are doing this in the DR
so why not Haiti!!
Again what a business opportunity for Haiti - with our young people who are
outgoing, have an easy way of talking, who pick up languages easily, as
Haitians
are oral people. I think I read in the great newish magazine Challenges,
some time
ago that there were some call centers, but again I don't know why the
business people
in this country are not developing businesses such as these.
This would be a wonderful job market for our young people who are desperate
for a
job. And it would improve our economy.
I hope there will be some people who will take up these ideas for
opportunities of developing
new businesses in Haiti - I'm too busy and am not at all techie orientated!!
The private sector needs to not leave everything to the govt. and then
complain when the
economy is disastrous - it needs to get on and do it themselves.
BTW in case you haven't heard, Prime Minister Jack Lafontant has been
ratified by both
the Senate and the Deputies. I know him and he's a good man. Pray that the
Govt.
will start working hard for the good of the country and not for themselves!!
Jacqui Labrom
--
Voyages Lumière SA
YOUR PARTNER IN TOURISM IN HAITI
VOTRE PARTENAIRE EN TOURISME EN HAITI
email: voyageslumierehaiti@xxxxxxxxx
Tel: (00 509) Cellphones: (00 509) 4805-8289/3607-1321
Website : www.voyageslumiere.com
Journeys for the enlightened traveller
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Voyages pour le touriste éclairé
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