Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor hits out at SKA pessimism (www.buanews.co.za, 20120316) - Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor on Thursday spoke out for the first time against perceived Afro-pessimism on the part of Australia, saying comments reportedly made by the Country’s Science Minister "reflect a very inadequate understanding of where Africa is today". The two countries are bidding to host the R23bn Square Kilometre Array (SKA), which will be the world’s largest radio telescope. A decision is expected in three weeks. The Australian reported on Thurday that Science Minister Chris Evans said an "aid mind-set" was Australia’s main impediment to hosting the SKA. "The thing that works against us the most is the sympathy for doing more in Africa, the European view that says we ought to be doing more development in Africa," it quoted the Minister as saying. The main concern is that this suggests that if SA wins, it would be due to sympathy rather than the strength of its bid. The Australian report comes after other Australian newspapers reported last week that the SKA site advisory committee had recommended SA’s site in Carnarvon in Northern Cape as being technically superior to Australia’s. Neither SKA SA, the government nor Australia’s International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (Icrar) would confirm the recommendation. "The most recent comments attributed to Senator Evans reflect a very inadequate understanding of where Africa is today," Ms Pandor said. "Various economic analysts have confirmed that Africa is a vibrant economic growth region. Our bid is sound and we won’t insult any party in an effort to sway decision makers." Sources involved in astronomy told Business Day that Mr Evans’s comments may be sour grapes because the recommendation may favour SA. The other possibility was that this was last-stand politicking in an attempt to sway voting countries. China, Italy, the Netherlands and the UK have voting rights, and SA needs three favourable votes out of four to host the SKA. SKA SA director Bernie Fanaroff on Thurday refused to comment on Mr Evans’s remarks. Icrar outreach and education manager Pete Wheeler said on Thurday: "The senator’s comments were not downplaying SA’s ability in radio astronomy. "Minister Evans was talking to a number of Australian journalists and the comments were taken out of context," Mr Wheeler said. Repeated attempts to contact Mr Evans through his spokesman Rhys Davies were unsuccessful. Meanwhile, the European parliament on Thurday called for greater collaboration with Africa in the field of radio astronomy, following its adoption of Written Declaration 45 on science capacity building in Africa. The declaration highlights Africa’s exceptional competitive advantages in the study of radio astronomy, and could be seen as a thumbs up for SA’s SKA bid.

Wow! This is an interesting article. Thanks for the post. Its Very interesting to see how Africa is always viewed as if we are always begging for aid/charity even in cases when we really do want to be compared on cases of merit but not as charity cases.