European e-government spending to rise: IDC: Spending on e-government is likely to grow over the next few years in the biggest Western European countries, according to research firm IDC. France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK are all expected to increase their IT spending on e-government initiatives up to 2008. Among its predictions, IDC forecasts that the UK will up its e-government spending from EUR668 million in 2004 to nearly EUR968 million in 2008, as fewer budget constraints allow the government to continue pursuing its e-government goals. Spending on German e-government initiatives, meanwhile, will be sustained in the medium to long-term, says IDC, with spending set to rise from EUR795 million in 2004 to over EUR1.1 billion in 2008. "IT vendors that want to take advantage of these opportunities must closely monitor the new initiatives, understand the drivers of the various projects, and take advantage of growth at the local government level," according to a senior research analyst at IDC.
Dubai saves with online procurement: Dubai's Department of Health and Medical Services (DOHMS) has said that it has realised major savings since adopting online procurement methods. DOHMS uses online marketplace Tejari for procurement of medical supplies for its facilities, which include Dubai's four main hospitals. "As of today, around 60 percent to 70 percent of our pharmaceuticals, medical equipment and consumables are bought online, allowing us to make considerable actual cost savings through Tejari's open and competitive marketplace," said Mohammed Juma, director of Purchasing & Contracts Department, DOHMS. Juma went on to say that the move to online procurement had enabled the department to streamline the number of suppliers it uses and to eliminate the hidden costs of paper-based procurement processes. DOHMS has conducted 700 auctions in the first quarter of 2005 and has concluded over 6,000 auctions since joining Tejari five years ago.
Chinese city chooses Nortel: The city of Longkou in the province of Shandong in China is to implement an e-government solution from Nortel. The IP telephony and data solution will provide the backbone to the rollout of secure online services for residents of Longkou. The new network will provide the basis for the provision of electronic services such as e-voting, e-booking of municipal facilities, and employment support. "The City of Loungkou is the first smaller-level city in China to deploy an e-government solution," said Stephen Tsui, chief operating officer, Greater China, Nortel, noting that more than 90 websites have been established at the central government level in China, and over 10,000 sites have been launched at the regional and municipal government level over the past three years.
Brunei to launch business eRegistry: The government of Brunei has signed an agreement for the establishment of an electronic registry for companies. The eRegistry will bring the processes of the Company Registry, Business Names Registry and Trade Marks Registry online. IT services group NeoQuest was awarded the USD2.5 million contract for the project, which is expected to take 18 months to complete. "Being able to implement a reliable, secure and convenient system for the public will be the main target of the project," said NeoQuest's director, announcing the deal. The government hopes that the eRegistry will help make searching and filing procedures faster and more accurate. Under the contract, a number of other business services that are currently carried out manually will also be computerised, the government said.
Ho Chi Minh launches high-speed network: The city of Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam has launched a metropolitan area network (MAN) to support its drive toward the rollout of e-government. The high-speed data network will connect more than 90 government departments, district committees, State agencies and other public sector organisations. The city government hopes to boost its administrative efficiency with the implementation of the network. It will also help to support e-government initiatives such as Cityweb, a portal that provides a range of government-related information for citizens and businesses. The new network is part of a USD2.5 million project that is being carried out by the Viet Nam Post and Telecommunications Corporation (VNPT).
Autor: Sylvia Leatham
Quelle: ElectricNews, 11.05.2005
