Imagine a country in which most people understand the way the world works and are clear thinking individuals with a spirit of goodwill towards others.

They recognize problems in their community and respond to them creatively through art, constructive actions and innovative technology.

This should by the goal of an ideal TIA fed into by a strong education system.

Countries prospering in the 21st century are investing hugely in education and Science and Technology. This applies to India, China, Brazil, US and Taiwan. It should apply equally to SA.

The beauty of TIA is that it has not been formulated to act as a Big Brother, stamping a national agenda on all Science and Technology but as a nurturing mother that will foster initiatives and try to bring to fruition ideas that contribute to prosperity and well being.

Not that the agency shouldn't open eyes that are squinting down dark passages, a tendency in our tech obsessed modern world.

Nano, Bio and Information technology are for good reason hailed as modern miracles but they are being pursued with little respect for long term consequences.

While it is not the job of the TIA to regulate, it should embrace the precautionary principle as it chooses which innovators to support.

Ironically going forward may consist in going back to the indigenous knowledge in which SA abounds. It is being greedily scavenged by the outside world while here it remains secretly guarded by its holders who see little value in sharing it, or it is being dissipated by the weakening of traditional lifestyles.

SA has made its mark in every field of sophisticated science and the TIA must accelerate this. But it is in the field of indigenous knowledge that our contribution must be strengthened, through the right IP, benefit sharing and ethical research done by research institutes collaborating with healers and university scientists.

We rush headlong into GM whereas we could foster a myriad other agricultural technologies that retain biodiversity, are more sustainable and promote human and animal health. We allow ourselves to be sitting ducks in uncontrolled unethical experience with cell phones and must which are not regulated by government and GM foods that are not tracked.

We sponsor nuclear and coal energy generation and waste unlimited free resources of sun and geothermal energy from the sea.

Research commissioned by Eskom reveals that for less investment than is needed to build a power station, the state could provide 3 times as many kilowatts of energy by installing 2.5 million solar water heaters in homes.

We are a country lacking a vision. In the cradle of humankind people selfishly chase money and power.

Through initiatives like TIA we must try to strike a balance between new technology and old.

Between our largest energy source the sun, and the smallest atom.

Between developing a vaccine for AIDS and producing products that keep people healthy.

As the millennium task force of the UN stated in a report commissioned by Kofi Annan, a report which I commend to the Board of the TIA.

Through practical steps governments and international agencies have a unique opportunity to use Science Technology and innovation to improve lives of billions and meet millennium goals.

For that we need good intentions, knowledge, understanding and wisdom. We hope TIA embodies them all.

IFP warns against this board channelling all VC funding for innovation and letting it be either stolen, wasted or stagnate while bureaucracy bubbles away.

We also warn US the disincentive to new businesses of sharing in their profits.

We will watch how the agency develops and appeal to civil society to do likewise.

We support the bill.

Thank you.