“The days of offshore E business jurisdictions just concentrating on having great server farms full of pornography and gambling sites has ended. The successful offshore jurisdiction of the future is one that is going to based on international business and E business is going to be part of that overall development but it’s not going to be the main element. It is an enabler for all parts of the economy,” Hickson said.
The government’s strategy for E business is not just filling hosting facilities but about making International businesses feeling good to be here, the development of E business locally, education and increasing access to government department and services Hickson said.
“Perhaps in Bermuda in two years’ time small businesses will be told, unless you pay your payroll tax online, (which they can do now), they will be fined. I am not suggesting we do that but that’s where businesses have to be involved in the success of E business.”
Hickson said the overall objectives of the E Government Portal is to provide a one stop shop service for all government information and services. To be set up as an Intranet service for government employees, establish a Bermuda presence on the web, act as force modernising government and kick start the E-Government programme.
“The E Government Portal will involve a culture change, a change where people in government departments have got to think outside of their silos but I think it will empower civil servants to feel more connected to serving the public.”
“We have 39 government web sites and some of the sites have different addresses and the objective of the portal is bring information and services into a common framework so a member of the public, a business or visitor can go to bermuda.gov address and get the information they need.”
Phase one of the project (which has gone out to tender) is migration of content from the 39 departments and the establishment of fully functional portal content and management services across departments.
Hickson said content management is one of the key features of the portal and will allow the ordinary person to access government websites.
Phase two of the portal project will involve integrating existing services such as paying taxes on line, security, single sign on and integrating new services such as transacting with the Transport Control Department online.
Six vendors for the design of the portal have been shortlisted including Microsoft Consulting (with partners), SBI/Plumtree, TBI/Vignette, IBM, Logic Communications and partners and Cable & Wireless. The vendor will be chosen and appointed in June, phase one is scheduled to start in July or August and be fully functional by October and phase two is scheduled to start early next year.
Quelle: Bermuda Sun
