WINDHOEK – Cornastone Information Technology Services recently celebrated achieving Platinum status with Hewlett Packard Enterprises (HPE), which is one of the highest possible global standings that can be achieved with HPE. The achievement makes Cornastone only the second HPE partner to achieve the sought-after status in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Officiating at the recent milestone celebration, Deputy Minister of Information and Communication technology, Engelbrecht Nawatiseb, said the achievement is indeed a cause for celebration because it is a result of hard work, dedication, perseverance and above all testimony to the fact that Cornastone strives for nothing less than excellence.
“The company must really pride itself on this Platinum status because of the high requirements by HPE focused both on sales and training targets,” said Nawatiseb.
He added that the relationship between Cornastone and HPE is a smart partnership in action.
“In Namibia we have been talking about smart partnership without necessarily giving and/or seeing the practical effect thereto and thereof. In this regard smart partnership seems to have become a cliché. But the smart partnership between Cornastone and HPE is a living testimony that smart partnership taken purposefully to its logical conclusion can become a reality with tangible economic outcomes,” Nawatiseb continued.
“Usually when we engage in partnerships, we expect them to bear fruits without following such partnerships through with the requisite resolve, dedication and hard work. We also often expect them to bear fruits in no time. We must take a good lesson from Cornastone and HPE whose achievement of Platinum status comes after two decades of purposefulness, perseverance, strategic intent and a strong drive for tangible results,” Nawatiseb stated.
“From what it has already achieved I, and the entire ICT Ministry, and indeed the broader ICT sector, have the fullest confidence that it can go to greater heights. But like we have seen, it took Cornastone and HPE a smart partnership to achieve what they have achieved. The hallmark of the ICT Ministry’s policy-making function, and the creation of a conducive environment, is and has been a smart partnership with all stakeholders.”
The deputy minister added that the ICT ministry has never and shall never consider itself a player in the ICT sector. Instead, he insisted that the ministry’s duty is to create a conducive environment for all operators in the sector. “This is and has been by creating sound policies intended to level the playing fields for a win-win situation, and to guard against unfair and unhealthy competition,” said Nawatiseb.
He concluded that ICT is a catalyst for economic development and social progression, and as technology is evolving and transforming on daily basis across the globe, the Namibian ICT sector is keeping pace with the latest technological advancements and has recorded tremendous growth.
Said Nawatiseb: “The growth in the domestic ICT sector is triggered by a greater enhancement in public and private partnerships, development of contemplated policy and regulatory interventions that are considered to be placing Namibia in a better position whereby the country will harness economic and social benefits and swiftly response to unavoidable development in the ICT arena.”.