U.S. Expert Says APEC Should Start Acting on Y2K Problem 4/22/99
Author: Associated Press
y2ktoday.com
SINGAPORE (AP) _ The top U.S. millennium bug troubleshooter warned experts from the Asia-Pacific region that time for discussing the Y2K problem has run out, saying they should focus on seeking solutions to the problem.
"We're at the stage when we need to go beyond awareness and focus on action,'' John Koskinen, head of the President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion, said via video link from Washington, D.C.
Koskinen was addressing about 150 experts from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, who gathered in Singapore for a two-day conference on the millennium bug.
The glitch, an offshoot of old programming that doesn't distinguish between the years 1900 and 2000, could cause catastrophic computer shutdowns on Jan. 1.
Several experts have earlier said the forum's aim is not to judge the region's readiness for combating the problem. Instead, they said they will count on the region's solidarity to identify a country's critical points that might break down and spread to other economies in the region.
But Koskinen called for a more solution-oriented approach, noting there are "only 254 days to go'' till the end of the year.
"Thinking about this conference, it's clear we must be moving on from discussing the nature of the problem and simply sharing the information,'' Koskinen said.
Rather, he said, major problems in the region should be identified and solutions to them suggested.
"We need to focus in depth on specific problems,'' such as transportation, energy, telecommunications and financial services, he said.
Koskinen's warnings came just one day after the U.S.
administration predicted the greatest threat to America from the Year 2000 glitch could come from computer failures overseas.
In its latest report on preparing for the Y2K problem, the White House has said that failures are all but certain in some foreign countries because of their late efforts to fix their systems.
In another key speech at the Singapore gathering, Takeo Shiina, head of Japan's Y2K Advisors' Conference, said it is "very important'' for the region to make contingency plans for Jan. 1.
Not only governments and businesses, but also individuals should have plans in case failures do occur, he said.
"Every family should have its own contingency plans,'' to avoid panicking and social unrest, Shiina said.
Shiina stressed the importance of informing the public about the problem.
"Y2K is not a disaster, but a challenge we have to tackle with responsibility,'' he said. "Be prepared, and you will have no worries.''
Other expert speakers were to include David Behrens, assistant director of the International Air Transport Association; Masanori Yoshikai, deputy director general of Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry; and Michael Yap, head of Singapore's National Computer Board.
APEC comprises Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and the United States
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I have an acquaintance who is involved with APEC efforts on Y2K. Asia has been particularly "tardy" in coming to grips with the reality of Y2K, let alone doing anything about it (outside of their financial industry).
Regards,
Ron
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