STATEMENT BY THE RT HON. PRIME MINISTER
DR B.SIBUSISO DLAMINI
FOLLOWING THE TOUR OF THE NEW ROYAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PARK
THURSDAY 2 JULY 2015
Honourable Ministers
Your Excellency Ambassador of Republic of China (Taiwan)
Project Manager and staff
Invited Guests
Representatives of the Media
Ladies and Gentlemen
I would like to say how much I have enjoyed the tour of the Royal Science and Technology Park that we have carried out together today.
This is a truly exciting period for Swaziland as we see a spectacular and creative project taking shape on our own territory. There was a time when science, technology and innovation were the exclusive domain of the developed countries of the world. But we are demonstrating in this Project that a small, modestly-resourced country can strike out alone on an information technology (IT) - focused and hi-tech journey that promises to contribute significantly to the economic growth targets that we have set ourselves for the coming years.
Every country needs its own research capacity, technology, intellectual property and every country needs an environment conducive to innovation. Mankind is pushing the boundaries in all areas of the natural, social and human sciences. Science, technology and innovation are now universally recognized as the key drivers of knowledge-based economies, which in turn make them key contributors to poverty reduction, disease prevention, and environmental conservation.
Acknowledging the paradigm shift in what are the underlying tools and resources for economic growth in the 21st century was not enough. We needed to convert our understanding into a pragmatic approach.
That, in the first instance, necessitated spelling out the precise direction in which we should to move. A National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy was required for this purpose, and this was funded by UNESCO and developed in a policy document that was approved by Cabinet in April 2012.
Inspired by the creative Vision of His Majesty, King Mswati III, Government took the dramatic step of investing in this Royal Science and Technology Park (RSTP) to provide IT and hi-tec facilities and services, as well as training and the business opportunities that will make Swaziland a pioneer and innovator in its own right, in due course becoming a renowned hub for IT development and hi-tech agri-business. This would be a catalyst in the drive towards a domestic high technology industry, and pivotal in ending dependence on a resource-based economy.
We have seen today the magnificent building, nearing completion, that is the nerve centre of the Innovation Park. With the focus on IT, this half of the overall Project will, in the first instance, give support to Government’s expansion of the application of ICT and will provide additional electronic delivery of public services.
It will also house a business centre that will enable the incubation of IT based start-up companies and will also have a video conferencing centre.
The Advanced School of IT will cater for advanced hardware training, electronic assembly, software development and support, advanced multimedia and IT forensic training for fighting cyber-crime. We plan for it to be the IT training centre of choice, not only within the Kingdom but also internationally, offering courses that do not duplicate those offered by UNISWA, SCOT and other institutions of higher learning. I take this opportunity, on behalf of His Majesty’s Government, to express our deep gratitude to the Government of India for the Memorandum of Understanding between our two countries and for mobilizing the funds from its Exim Bank for this impressive building and for the creation of a strong cadre of trainers who will then operate and provide training within this segment of the Project. I also thank Angelica International for managing the Project on the Indian side and thank Mr Vumile Dlamini, our Project Manager In Swaziland, as well as expressing appreciation to the Indian High Commissioner and the local Indian Consul for their valuable oversight contribution to the Project.
The Innovation Park will also house a video conferencing centre, as well as a call centre that will provide services to SPTC, Swaziland Water Services, SRA and other regional and international organizations.
The Data Centre, to be located here, will help to curb cyber-crime and, in so doing, supply the necessary protection for government data. In providing cloud computing to various institutions, including the banks, it will obviate the need for user companies to apply for licenses.
The Biotechnology Park part of the overall Project will represent the crystallization of all our ideas and plans for the development of hi-tech agri-business in our economy. The adding of value, through downstream processing of primary products, can become a substantial strand in the agriculture sector of an economy. The Park will have an extremely important catalytic role, not only in providing serviced areas for new hi-tech agri-processing enterprises but it will also be a one-stop shop for investors, as well as facilitating the creation of new enterprises, including those of small, medium and micro-scale, when providing an incubation service through its Business Centre. There will be an exhibition centre for industrial showcasing, and one highly important service that will be provided is a practical application for research material from universities and industries.
We are deeply grateful to our development partners, the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), for the substantial funding so far provided to the Project, enabling us to install the infrastructure – roads, water and electricity supply, and sewage disposal. We will soon be ready to accommodate new investors to the Biotechnology Park. Let us make sure that the incentive package, that is offered, is one that promises to be effective, is finalized without delay and is promoted vigorously both within and outside the Kingdom. At all costs let us make sure we avoid the too little too late pitfall.
As we embrace the crystalisation of His Majesty’s vision of Royal Science and Techniology Park we wish to remember and pay special tribute to the pioneers of research in Swaziland such as the former vice chancellor of the University of Swaziland Professor Lydia Makhubu , Professor Mgidi Dlamini and Professor Victor Mthethwa.
It remains for me to thank the organizers of this tour for a most interesting event. Please accept my best wishes for expeditious completion of the construction process.
Thank you.