Governments across the Caribbean are going E - and by “E”
we mean electronic. That is why administrators from 9 CARICOM countries are
in Belize this week formulating a policy for the effective implementation of
regional e-government and information communications technology. It is facilitated
by the Caribbean Center for Development Administration – CARICAD –
and Belize’s Ministry of the Public Service. They told us how going “E”
can revolutionize the way government does business – from applying for
birth papers and passports online – and paying your income tax –
at the touch of a mouse.
Freya Parham-August, Director of Governance Improvement
“Technology is the way we move forward. Government as well would like
to adopt and has been adapting the use of technology in offering government
services and E-government is really governance using technology as a medium
for us to offer services more effectively.”
Adam Montserin, E-Government Advisor – CARICAD
“Like most Caribbean islands have government services that are characterized
by long lines, inefficient service, it takes almost a painstaking effort to
get simple things like your birth certificate, your driver’s permit, your
passport, and a lot of Caribbean countries are plagued by this type of government
service. So what E-Government does is it provides a way how government can provide
more effective efficient services based on the customer which is to assist their
needs. So they can stay at home and really interact without having to travel
to stand up lines to really do the things that are characterized now more efficiently
and effectively.”
Freya Parham-August,
“We would like to at some point in time where persons are able to
not only download forms but also be able to apply for their licenses online,
be able to apply for a passport online. In time we see ourselves offering those
services online but for now it is important that we have a structure in place
that we can move from there to accomplish these goals and it is also very important
that we have key stakeholders involved so that it could be a collaborative process
that all who are involved in it have a say in how it is that we move forward.
We would want to develop a model that can be adopted through the region
as that structure of how we administer E-Government.”
The workshop concludes tomorrow.
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