The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga has called upon Parliamentarians to expedite the legislative processes to enable young innovators to get the necessary funding for research and training in order to create viable and sustainable technological solutions for global problems.
Kadaga made the call while addressing the Inter-Parliamentary Union conference in Geneva on the topic; “Parliament’s role in promoting and development in the age of technological change.”
“In order to facilitate technological innovation, Parliament must facilitate the necessary expenditure to conduct research and development but more importantly, to ensure that the innovators are linked to a vibrant manufacturing industry,” she argued.
Kadaga also noted that education curriculum in most countries should be reviewed so as to equip the students at secondary, tertiary and university levels with the skills to innovate.
“The innovations and investments should have a practical impact on changes in the education system by adjusting to the curriculum of the secondary, tertiary and university levels as well as the establishment of incubation centres.
This would also entail the easy identification of the young innovators, promoting them,” she argued.
The Speaker’s comments come at the heel of the President Yoweri Museveni’s comments in which he tasked Parliament to revise the salaries of scientists to ensure that they don’t leave the country for greener pastures abroad.
Museveni made the comments while commissioning the new Source of the Nile bridge in Jinja on Wednesday.
Although technology is necessary for development and employment, Kadaga admits that it must be kept on a short leash if the privacy of citizens and their fundamental freedoms are to be safeguarded.
She gave the example of CCTV cameras which, despite being good for national security, could also be used to abuse people’s privacy.