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Archiver > SOUTH-AFRICA > 1998-04 > 0892143204


From: "JOHAN ERASMUS" <>
Subject: Re: GISA
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1998 19:33:24 +0200


Dear Delia

I could not have agreed more with you as well as with prof. Barend Venter!
This matter has got nothing to do with so called "aggressive questions" or
"destructive" critisism. It is just an honest urge for transparency.

Regards

Johan Erasmus


-----Original Message-----
From: Delia Robertson <>
To: <>
Date: 09 April 1998 08:50
Subject: Re: GISA

>I don't think a single question raised on this forum about GISA has been
>with the aim to destroy GISA. I would suggest precisely the opposite
>and say we all want GISA to succeed and succeed --- as our dear old
>Madiba says with stultifying frequency --- beyond our wildest
>expectations.
>
>Raising issues that are of concern and engendering public debate is
>healthy and constructive. Apart from anything else, it enables those
>involved in running the organization to gain an insight into the
>concerns and needs of their target market (us and others like us) and
>position themselves to respond and so make them more successful [and
>therefore of even greater benefit to us, their consumers].
>
>If the HSRC was unable to financially sustain its genealogy department
>in the most populous area of the country there have to be questions
>about the logic in removing it to an area which is remote from the two
>most populous areas in the country - Gauteng and KwaZulu/Natal.
>
>There are even more questions about DUPLICATING records in a one area of
>the country and leaving the two most populous areas with none.
>
>The point --- I dare to suggest --- is to make GISA affordable (not
>free), accessible and appealing to as many people as possible --- all
>over the country --- so as to ensure their success and benefit us.
>
>It is legitimate to raise issues of intellectual property rights.
>People who are thinking seriously about securing their research for
>posterity need to know what GISA's policy and record is on this matter.
>
>For example, I have about five square metres of files and who knows how
>many megabytes of computer records --- among them literally thousands
>of original letters, photographs and documents --- and I need to make
>legal provision for all of this in the event of my incapacitation or
>death.
>
>I have the absolute right to know the policy and track record on this
>issue of any organization I consider as a future custodian. And it
>should not be a matter of privacy [except on the detail] between me and
>that potential custodian --- policies and track records on these issues
>have to be out there for everyone to see.
>
>The only way to assess GISA's track record in these early days is to
>know how they handled the rights of the genealogy donors to the HSRC.
>Director Endemann's response to Barend Venter that the matter was
>handled successfully does not inform us of GISA's policy, nor does it
>enable us to assess its track record.
>
>Conflicts of interest [real, perceived and potential] are of concern -
>if not, they should be. GISA is heavily weighted in favor of Huguenot
>interests [3 founding member organizations out of 7], and while I have
>no doubt these are all organizations of the highest integrity, it is
>something we should be aware of so that we can speak out IF necessary.
>
>IF, in the months IMMEDIATELY PRECEEDING the transfer of their records
>to GISA, Director Endemann did spend a month [or any time of note] at
>the HSRC that could perhaps raise some serious questions. If he did
>not, all he needs to do is say so. He did not do so in his reply in his
>reply to Barend Venter --- he spoke only of a period which ended 18
>years ago.
>
>Finally may I say that debating these issues is exactly about getting on
>with our interest in genealogy - its about getting on and being
>successful for us AND generations to come.
>
>Regards. Delia Robertson.
>
>Wally & Elrine Greig wrote:
>>
>> I have just read all the notes on this topic. I am appalled at the
attacks
>> that have been launched, especially the aggressive questions posed by
>> Barend Venter.
>snip
>> LETS CUT OUT THE DESTRUCTIVENESS, BE CONSTRUCTIVE AND GET ON WITH OUR
>> INTEREST IN GENEALOGY
>>
>> Wally Greig.
>

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