US civilian cyber security spending set to rise: IT spending on civilian cyber security in the US is expected to grow 27 percent over the next five years, according to the latest report by research firm Input. Planned IT security spending for civilian agencies for fiscal 2005 is about USD1.6 billion, with top spenders including the departments of Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, Energy, and Transportation. The jump in spending up to 2009 is predicted on account of poor security assessment ratings and increased focus on homeland security. "Continued fear over potential terrorist attacks has caused an almost desperate need for improvement of current standards and levels of security. New requirements will cause civilian IT security spending to grow steadily this year," said Marcus Fedeli, manager of federal opportunity products at Input. He added that the agencies are likely to rely heavily on outside contractors to provide the products and services needed to secure IT systems, and that the requirement to satisfy legislative mandates would create opportunities for technology vendors in the public sector.
Dubai launches entertainment e-permits: The government of Dubai is to start issuing entertainment permits electronically. The Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has installed software to enable online application and issuing of Entertainment Activities Permits, which are needed by hotels and other venues if they wish to stage a live performance. The electronic facility, the first of its kind in the United Arab Emirates, is expected to reduce by 90 percent the need for a personal visit in order to obtain such permits. "The electronic issuance of Entertainment Activities Permits is in line with the department's commitment towards Dubai eGovernment, in order to make the whole business of dealing with us less cumbersome, more effective and transparent," said Mohammed Khalifa, DTCM deputy manager, Entertainment Activities and Inspection. The department issued 6,767 entertainment permits in 2004 and expects a rise of 20 percent in the number issued this year.
Philippines approves e-government funding: Filipino president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has approved the release of PHP1 billion (EUR14.2 million) in funding for e-government projects, reports Philippines newswire INQ7.net. The Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) will manage the distribution of the fund, which will be divided equally between five IT projects. The projects include the CICT's Community e-Centres plan; the Department of Trade and Industry's Business Name Registration System; and the Department of Interior and Local Government's plans for a local government information portal and a public safety information portal. The fifth project involves the "harmonisation of government ID numbers," a more restricted version of the proposed national ID system that involves integrating user data in existing government ID cards. "This [project] is to ensure that government offices have the right information about individuals. Likewise, people will be able to get basic government services easier and faster because required personal data can be traced by the offices," said CICT Commissioner Tim Diaz de Rivera. He stressed that the system would not be used to help track suspected criminals.
Canadian IT managers shift focus away from e-services: The delivery of electronic services is becoming less of a priority for government IT managers in Canada, according to a recent report by IDC. The study, "Predictions on the Canadian Government Sector in 2005," says that the rollout of e-services was cited as a priority issue for 25 percent of respondents to a 2004 survey, compared with 42 percent in a similar survey conducted in 2003. The study revealed a rising interest in key performance indicators (KPIs), which were cited as a policy priority for 15 percent of respondents, compared to 10 percent the previous year. "Vendors that target electronic service delivery initiatives must package citizen-interfacing technologies with bundles of solutions that enable to handle securely all citizen cases on a customised basis," said Massimiliano Claps, senior research analyst, IDC Canada. "CRM with comprehensive case management functionalities and document and record management tools will ensure efficiency and effectiveness of workflows between front and back end."
Little Rock e-enables parking ticket payments: Residents of Little Rock, Arkansas, can now pay their parking fines online. Citizens who receive parking tickets can log in to www.lrtickets.org, enter the number of the ticket, and pay the fine electronically using a credit card. Payments are processed through the Arkansas state portal's official payment server. "Convenience is the key," said Bruce Moore, Little Rock city manager. "By providing a payment tool for the public that is accessible and easy to use, we can address both Little Rock's need to collect the fine while also making payment as stress-free as possible." Visitors to the site can also pay traffic ticket fines and Criminal Court Case fines. The website was built and is managed through a partnership between the City of Little Rock and the Information Network of Arkansas, which manages the official state web portal, www.Arkansas.gov.
Autor: Sylvia Leatham
Quelle: ElectricNews, 23.03.2005
