Scottish local authorities roll out mobile technology: Local authorities in Fife, Scotland, are using mobile phone technology in innovative ways. The Fife Fire & Rescue Service is rolling out a photo messaging service in association with mobile operator Orange. The service is aimed at improving the crucial initial treatment of people who have been involved in accidents. Under the initiative, rescue officers who are called to the scene of an accident can use a camera phone to take photographs of casualties, and the images can be transmitted immediately via MMS to the Accident and Emergency Unit at Dunfermline's Queen Margaret Hospital. Using this information, doctors at the hospital are able to make a preliminary assessment of the extent of people's injuries and to prepare the appropriate medical treatment and staff in advance. Meanwhile, Fife Council has completed successful trials of the use of text messaging as a means of communicating with tenants.
Health smartcards back on track for Austria: Health insurance smartcards are due to be launched in Austria in 2005, the government has announced, two years after the initial target date for their introduction. The original plan to launch the "e-Card" encountered various administrative setbacks, as well as difficulties with the supplier -- a consortium that included IT services firm EDS and smartcard specialist Orga. A new tender has been issued, and contracts for a number of projects are due to be awarded before the end of the year, with possibly more than one supplier being selected. The government expects that 8 million e-Cards will be issued to citizens in 2005, with over 11,000 health professionals due to be supplied with card-reading equipment. The e-Card will initially contain a citizen's name, date of birth and social security number, with more detailed information pertaining to medical history to be added in the future.
Korea plans e-voting trials: Korea is planning to implement electronic voting for all elections from 2005. The new e-voting system will be trialled from next year, when it will be used during referendums on major policy issues. The initiative is part of an overall plan to ramp up e-government. One of the government's aims is to make 85 percent of services related to civil affairs available on-line, up from the current 15 percent level. There are also plans to establish an on-line information centre by 2005, where citizens can gain easy access to all public government information. The government also aims to digitize all of its paperwork by 2005 and to create a database of major public documents by 2006. In addition, the government says it will set up a national distribution information network by 2007, to keep track of imports and exports, customs, and rail and land transport.
Italy launches phase two of e-government project: The Italian government has announced the launch of the second phase of its e-government programme. Lucio Stanca, minister for technology and innovation, said that EUR209.5 million would be allocated to the initiative, divided between a number of key areas. "The greatest Italian 'service company', that is the state, decided to undergo a total restructuring, transferring competencies," said Stanca, announcing news of the new funding. "This will lead to great benefits as regards efficiency and economy, and will coincide with a radical innovation in processes, services and management." The money, which will be supplemented in the future by local and EU funding, will be spent on the provision of e-services for citizens and businesses (EUR71 million); the development of local infrastructure (EUR56 million); the rollout of e-government projects in provincial areas (EUR29 million); e-democracy initiatives (EUR10 million); and electronic health care services (EUR10 million), among other areas.
Filipino agencies compete for e-government funds: Government agencies in the Philippines are competing for a share of the remaining PHP2 billion (EUR32.6 million) in e-government funding that is available for IT projects. The Information Technology and E-commerce Council (ITECC) is expected to compile a shortlist of preferred e-government projects from about 30 submissions by the end of August. A number of projects have so far been acknowledged as having high priority, including a portal for Filipinos who are working overseas; the "e-LGU Project," which aims to e-enable local government units; and the Department of Trade and Industry's national business registration initiative. Other projects that have been earmarked for funding include the modernisation of the Bureau of Customs and the Bureau of Internal Revenue.
Quelle: electricnews.net
