Councillors struggle to use laptops

A NUMBER of Bulawayo councillors proved to be "technophobic" when they struggled to use laptops during a full council meeting yesterday.

Councillors were recently given computers by the Bulawayo City Council to reduce the local authority's carbon footprint by minimising printed communication.

However, the technology leap failed to take off smoothly as a council IT expert had to constantly assist some councillors to retrieve information from the gadgets.

Technophobia is defined by the free online dictionary as fear of or aversion to technology, especially computers and high technology.

Before issuing the laptops, council used to issue reports of council meetings to councillors, officials, interested parties and journalists in large volumes printed on bond paper.

Jokingly referring to his colleagues who were failing to use their laptops, a councillor said they were BBCs (Born Before Computers)

"What do you expect? Some of us are using computers for the first time. BCC (Bulawayo City Council) will have to take the BBCs for extensive orientation programmes, otherwise the purpose of making the communication easier might actually become more difficult," said the councillor who declined to be named.

He added: "However, we are very thankful that the city fathers are finally realising the importance of embracing technology. With time, I am sure we will reap the benefits by shortening communication time and making savings on volumes of council minutes that used to be printed every month".

Another councillor said it was embarrassing that the city's "role models" did not have basic computer skills.

"Nowadays, computer literacy could be the single most important skill that a person can possess.

"With it councillors can, for example, research thoroughly on certain topics to gain knowledge and serve residents better. We are now living in a world where digitalisation has brought everything within the reach of one's fingers. People no longer need to actually go through an experience to know its consequences as precedents abound online.

"This makes decision making easy because certain options can be discarded at once through online searches. It is therefore a disgrace that some role models in the city cannot use new technology," said the councillor.

However, Councillor James Sithole of Ward 7 defended the councillors.

"I normally do not like talking in the Press but I think everyone is getting it wrong. It is not that councillors are using computers for the first time, but they may not be familiar with certain software in the machines. Besides, if they really do not know, it is their chance to learn. No one was born a computer expert and it is never too late to learn," said Clr Sithole.

It could not be ascertained yesterday whether the laptops that were given to councillors were the ones that caused the previous councillors to almost exchange blows with the local authority's officials in May.

A fight almost broke out during a closed door council meeting when Bulawayo councillors demanded laptops from management.

Council officials almost fought when councillors demanded to know why officials had not given them 29 laptops that were reportedly bought for councillors more than two years ago.

The bust-up occurred on 8 May after the full council meeting.

Angry councillors said the laptops had been gathering dust since they were bought for councillors some time in 2010. The councillors' term expired before they could be given the gadgets.