IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

Taxpayers will soon be able to make payments at dozens of private collection agencies throughout the island as the government examines tenders from companies that include Paymaster Jamaica and Bill Express to provider the collection service. Under this phase of its electronic payment project, collection for a wider range of statutory obligations will for the first time, be outsourced to private facilities. among these fees:

• traffic ticket offences,
• motor vehicle certificate of fitness,
• property tax,
• drivers licence exam fee,
• education tax,
• coin operated machines fee,
• fees for petrol filling stations.

On Wednesday, Deika Morrison, state minister at the Ministry of Finance said the outsourcing project was being driven by cost-benefit, and the potential to actually expand revenue collection with the user of far more collection centres.

"These fees account for 1.2 million transactions or 49 per cent of all transactions, yet approximately $6.3 billion in revenue which was only 7 per cent of total revenue," noted Morrison, as she launched the second phase of the e-government project that the administration hopes will revolutionise service delivery to Jamaicans.

The launch took place at the Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston.

Morrison's estimation of the impact of the increased tax payment avenues, is for an additional 10 per cent in revenues from these sources.

These taxes and fines attract tens of thousands of individuals in the limited number of tax offices each month.

The payment agencies have hundreds of outlets that could easily absorb the additional traffic.

"The ministry received over ten responses from the invitation to tender from prospective third party collections agencies," said Morrison.

In addition to Paymaster and Bill Express -the two major third-party bill payment centres and major banks are among those to have submitted tenders. The tenders are now being reviewed.

Successful applicants will be linked electronically to the tax collectorate's core operating software allowing for online, real-time transactions to be effected.

This infrastructure, to be build at a cost of nearly US$21 million is being funded by US$17 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank, signed in 2003, with government contributing an additional US $3.7 million.

"In order to effectuate third-party collection this e-government project will fund the development of the hardware infrastructure," noted Morrison.

Online payment transactions at government trade agencies is also being implemented. Recently websites including, Jampro's Jamaica Access Point, Trade Board and Jamaica Customs became e-commerce enabled.

"What we are doing now is web enabling them to third parties," said project manager, Richard Gordon also at the launch.

Gordon noted that the project group was now designing encryption software for the project. By fiscal year 2006/7 all trade agencies should be e-commerce enabled he added.

Technology minister Philip Paulwell, also at the launch said that he would be embarking on a public education campaign to encourage Jamaicans to use the services.

"It makes no sense you have these [services] and people do not know how to access it," he said.

Under phase three, the government is targeting to set up 60 payment telecentres across the island, focussing on medium-sized communities.

The fourth component will train students pursuing information technology programmes. The project is slated to finish in fiscal year 2008/9.

Quelle: Jamaica Observer, 26.03.2004