The one-stop link to all government departments was launched last Wednesday and hundreds of people have already logged on.
Of those, one in four is a resident, 11 per cent live abroad, nine per cent are UAE nationals and a further four per cent are visitors to Dubai. Angel Jwala, 24, who came to the UAE from India a month ago to find a job, said the website is must for those who need to interact with government departments.
"I have been dealing with private organisations and government bodies in India for the last year, and what I see here is simply amazing," said Jwala, a postgraduate in Environmental Science.
"From flight information to court sessions schedule to visa information, the portal has everything. It is simply the virtual government headquarters," she said Dubai eGovernment's new portal aims to popularise online services in the emirate.
From applying for a trade licence copy to paying Dewa bills or even cancelling a doctor's appointment, all you need to do is visit the portal.
"Anybody over 18 and either living in Dubai or wants to move to Dubai for trade or living will find the portal very user friendly," said Rehab Lootah, acting Director of eServices at the Dubai eGovernment.
"We are targeting businesses who interact most with the government followed by private individuals." Ninety per cent of all government services are already available on the newly modified website. Of those, almost half of all the services can be accessed from the comfort of your own home without having to visit the respective government departments.
The site's launch comes as Government departments in Dubai are accelerating their efforts to improve the level of electronic transformation, in line with the target set by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum,VicePresident and Prime Minister of the UAE and the Ruler of Dubai.
Salem Khamis Al Shair, eServices Director, Dubai eGovernment, said: "It will save us an enormous amount of resources, such as extra paperwork, and eliminate unnecessary time wasting in processing services.
New resident reviews the site
New resident Robin Mcbride, 34, from Northern Ireland, arrived in Dubai two weeks ago “As a new Dubai resident, the things that prey on my mind most of all are transport and accommodation. Links to these topics are placed conveniently in a menu on the left of the residents’ homepage, and the topic pages themselves are laid out in a logical, tutorial style, allowing the most important information to be read first.
“The section on obtaining a driving licence in Dubai was concise, and included expanding links in all the right places, such as a list of countries whose nationals were not required to take a UAE driving test.
“When looking at the accommodation page, I was struck by the number of options available for property searching. There are also links for information on Emaar and the latest property development projects, which allows the expat to be up to date with the constructions springing up in the city.
Old timer reviews the site
Long-term resident Kevin D’Souza, 30, from India has lived in Dubai for seven years “I can still remember the situation when I first came to Dubai. I struggled to find proper information about government services. When I asked people about visa medicals and other related services everyone had a different answer, so this website is really informative and helpful.
“I also had difficulty obtaining a residence visa for my mother. I remember no one knew the details.
“It took me three months to get all the required papers and formalities organised. Now with a click of the mouse, all that information pops up on the screen.
“There are many people who would love to have their parents here and this website will surely benefit them. The website is overall very informative and user-friendly and a must recommendation for people entering Dubai on tourist or residence visa."
Autor(en)/Author(s): Joseph George
Quelle/Source: Zawya, 14.07.2007
