Swaziland is the last remaining absolute monarchy in Africa, though with parallels to Morocco. It faces immense challenges, with a weak economy, a fiscal crisis created by the King and his cronies, plus the highest level of HIV/AIDS infections in Africa. The arrangements for the...

A C21st bill of rights needs to address Internet-related issues such as collection and dissemination of personal data, lawful interception, provision of access, and government-enforced shutdowns. However, the uncertain nature of Internet access means firstly that it ought not to be a right, and...

The government of South Africa has issued a draft policy to accelerate network deployment. The legal basis is to be the Electronic Communications Act (ECA), but the policy intrudes into areas of property ownership and the powers of municipalities. Consequently, there would be no legal basis for...

This paper analyses a collection of cases of corruption in telecommunications to identify failings and best practice in legislation, regulation and practice, plus measures to reduce occurrences. The Washington Consensus as applied to telecommunications creating efficient and competitive markets...

In the course of investigations into his successor concerning the '2G spectrum scam' allegations were made against Dayanidhi Maran MP, formerly Minister of Communication and Information Technology in India. He has been charged with violations of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, alleging he...

James Sutherland (1747-1827) styled himself ‘of Duffus’, and Captain long after leaving the army, and in his last days was Lord Duffus. He perpetrated one of the most scandalous elopements of the eighteenth century with the 17 year-old wife of his commanding officer, only to abandon her...

In January 2012 the Westminster government offered to devolve to the Scottish Parliament the powers necessary to conduct a referendum on the independence of Scotland, with the possibility of repealing the Act of Union of 1707. This could return Great Britain to a Union of the Crowns, with...

In the autumn of 2014 the residents of Scotland, but not other parts of the UK, will vote on whether to leave the UK to become a separate state, with a positive vote leading to an independent parliament being elected in 2016. It would remain within the EU and in compliance with its acquis...

Better regulation is intended to serve as a framework to increase economic competitiveness, ensuring that legislation and rules imposed by all levels of government are proportionate and will help deliver more jobs and economic growth. Legislation and regulations at all levels which might have a...

Opinion polls suggest Scotland will reject independence, opening the way to a review of economic governance in the United Kingdom, a complex quasi-federal, asymmetric system of administrations and parliaments, the result of ad hoc changes over decades. One party wants telecommunications...