---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 10 Dec 1997 00:35:28 -0400
From: James Corbin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: "African Network of IT Experts and Professionals (ANITEP) List"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: AWARENESS: U.K. To Observe World's First Y2K Awareness Week
Colleagues.
The following was posted on CPSR Y2K mail list. Due to the current
discussions on this list about awareness in Africa. I thought it may be of
some interest to members on this list.
regards
James
----------------------------------------------------
>December 05, 1997, TechWeb News
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>U.K. To Observe World's First Y2K Awareness Week
>ByAndrew Craig
>
>LONDON -- The British government is backing what it said is the world's
>first national Year 2000 awareness week, beginning Monday in the United
>Kingdom.
>
>The five-day program will attempt to warn senior managers -- rather than
>IS
>executives -- of the dangers of the year 2000 problem.
>
>The innovative national campaign is organized by a government-backed
>awareness group, Taskforce 2000, and will include a series of conferences
>and debates with both public and private-sector managers participating.
>The
>aim, according to Robin Guenier, head of Taskforce 2000, is to raise
>awareness of the year 2000 problem among general management and to
>encourage organizations to act promptly.
>
>"This is a top-level matter, and we'd like to get the message to chief
>executives, general managers, and others," Guenier said. "The computer
>people should already understand the issue; if they don't, they are not
>doing their jobs properly."
>
>Taskforce 2000, a not-for-profit company principally funded by the U.K.
>government, certainly has some way to go. A survey published earlier this
>week by British computer consultancy PA Consulting found that barely more
>than half of all British IT managers said they felt that senior managers
>in
>their organization fully understood the year 2000 problem. By contrast,
>71
>percent of U.S. IT managers said that their senior managers had a good
>understanding of the year 2000 problem.
>
>"While people are getting ready to enjoy Christmas, we hope to provide a
>stark reminder of the problems ahead," said Guenier. An enormous amount
>of
>fixing is needed, and there is not any business that can afford to ignore
>it."
>
>Although many people are aware of the year 2000 problem, their knowledge
>is
>mostly not detailed enough, and organizations are not taking action
>quickly
>enough, Guenier added.
>
>"There is a paralysis-by-analysis situation where people are doing a lot
>of
>talking and not enough action. Levels of awareness in the U.K. are high,
>but the problem is that the awareness is superficial," Guenier said.
>
>The risks are high enough. A second survey, published by French computer
>services company Cap Gemini in October, found that one in 10 U.K.
>organizations will not convert their computer systems in time for the
>change to 2000. Cap Gemini said the result could potentially put at risk
>the equivalent of 29 percent of the U.K.'s Gross Domestic Product.
>
>Not everyone believes that the awareness week has been well-enough
>organized, however.
>
>"It's not receiving nearly enough coverage," said Karl Feilder, chief
>executive at Greenwich Mean Time, a year 2000 consultancy. "In our
>opinion,
>every week should be year 2000 week."
>[snip]
>
>
>----------------- End Forwarded Message -----------------
>
-----------------------------------------------------
James Corbin
Divisional Manager Information Services
Barbados Telephone Company
246-431-1456 (p)
245-439-8860 (f)
