10 July 2009
Windhoek — Although electronic storage of information has many benefits, the fast pace at which technology develops can result in a loss of valuable information, said Prime Minister Nahas Angula.
He was speaking at 20th bi-annual Eastern and Southern African Branch of the International Council of Archives (ESCARBICA) conference, held last week.
"The electronic environment is developing ever faster. Every few years bring us entirely new generation of hardware and software. Who can today still read those large floppy disks where we once stored information? The drives to read them are no longer manufactured, the information stored them is lost. Moreover, this is the fate of all electronic storage media, from floppy disks to stiffy disks to CD-ROM to memory sticks," Angula said.
He further said that there is an explosion of information and communication; however, it is a challenge to keep a proper record of all the information.
"That is where the archives and the archivists come in. Unfortunately, for most of us, we notice the importance of archives only when a computer virus brings a company to a standstill because nobody can access the data which is needed, or when a company goes bankrupt because their computers with all the business information are stolen," he said.
Delegates at the conference also discussed copyright issues. Copyright issues create barriers and problems for digitisation projects in African countries.And none of the member countries of ESARBICA has any limitations or exceptions for digitisation, preservation or digital curation in their copyright law, the conference learned.
These countries need to review their copyright laws as a matter of urgency, if they intent to preserve their cultural heritage for future.
More than 200 delegates from countries such as South Africa, Zambia, Germany, Kenya and USA, deliberated on problems and solutions in electronic records management as well as digitisation.
The conference addressed the challenges and opportunities, which the digital format poses to the preservation of cultural and information heritage was hosted by the Ministry of Education in Windhoek last week.
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