SMH

Gambia gets hit by computer bug

Source: AFP | Published: Sunday January 2, 8:37 AM

WASHINGTON, Jan 1 - The small West African nation of Gambia emerged today as the only country in the world seriously affected by power outages and other disruption, some of which could be traced to the millennium computer bug, Y2K experts said.

Significant power outages were evident in the Gambian energy sector, while major or significant disruptions crippled air and sea transportation, the financial sector and government services, reported the Washington-based International Y2K Co-operation Center, which assembled data from 118 nations.

The centre pointed out, however, that the power outages were not Y2K-related and the problems in the other sectors could not be blamed entirely on the computer bug.

Failures have been reported in the Gambian Treasury Department, the national tax service and at the Customs Service, according to the center.

Experts attribute the problems to a delay in international assistance promised to Gambia to prepare for Y2K.

Gambia declared Monday, January 3, a holiday to reduce pressure on its crippled services.

Meanwhile, the centre said it is 'working with Gambia to help resolve this problem' and urged the World Bank to provide assistance in re-establishing the affected services.

Y2K Center Director Bruce McConnell warned that while 'no significant problem' was reported around the world on the first day of the new millennium, disruptions could occur in coming days.

'We are not out of the woods,' said McConnell. 'We will remain vigilant over the coming days and into January.'

-- WhereisHomer (Juststarting@now.com), January 01, 2000