ICT and Internet: Revised proposed model for .mu discussed

A Consultation Workshop, on the revised proposed model for the Country Code Top Level Domain for Mauritius (.mu ), opened this morning at Cyber Tower 1, in Ebène Cyber-city.

The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology released in September 2011 a Public Consultation Paper on the re-delegation of the country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) of Mauritius (i.e. .mu or dot mu) for a six weeks’ period and invited stakeholders, including members of the public, to express their views and comments.

Two responses were received, namely from the present .mu administrator and from the Internet Management Committee. On the basis of the comments received on the Public Consultation document, an updated .mu administration model has been proposed and posted on the website of the ICT Ministry.

The local Internet community was invited to submit views and comments on the revised model. The present consultation workshop aims at finalising the model for the re-delegation of the .mu.

In his opening address, the Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Mr Tassarajen Pillay Chedumbrum, said that the ICT sector in Mauritius is on the right track and is called upon to develop further in the short and long term to position itself as the first pillar of the economy.

According to the Minister, favouring e-business and e-governance remains a priority of Government. The management of the domain name of a country is crucial and may be considered as an integrated part of the development of e-business and e-governance. Consequently the domain name should be considered as part of Mauritius’ global ICT strategy, he pointed out.

.mu is a national resource as it gives Mauritius an identity in cyberspace and its administration and management have to be done within a defined framework which includes norms, rules as well as a policy based on the local reality, added Mr Pillay Chedumbrum.

It is considered that a country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) is best administered from within a country for the following reasons: it provides the country with an identity in cyberspace; registration, renewal, suspension of domain names, and the disputes that may arise under the ccTLD, will be governed by the local laws; and operating the ccTLD from within the country is the only reliable way to acquire sufficient experience with ccTLD administration, before any form of outsourcing can be considered.