A report on eGovernment services in the European Union put Malta in a highly creditable second place, behind Austria. It said that Malta registered substantial qualitative progress in its services and confirmed them as being excellent European models in the field.
Such a result was quickly followed up by the launch of an enhanced portal – mygov.mt – that is aimed at improving the quality of life of Maltese citizens through the wider use of first-class, accessible and secure eGovernment services. The government has now also introduced an eVAT service, aimed at making life easier for people in the business sector. This in a way complements the income tax online services, which 83 per cent of businesses already use.
Parliamentary Secretary in the Finance Ministry Tonio Fenech specified the government’s clear intention to make life as easy as possible for businesses, particularly since this would help them focus more on their primary aim – that of making money.
But the parliamentary secretary also explained that the government’s intention was to improve the country’s competitive edge; by making life easier for businesses, the government is also making big efforts to grow the economy even further.
Brimming with confidence, Investment, Industry and IT Minister Austin Gatt boldly stated that he expects Malta to be in the top place when next year’s report is issued. Judging by the progress that has been made, it is a target that can be reached.
Malta has made great strides in the sector, and this has happened in a relatively short time. It is still “a new era for us”, as Minister Gatt explained, but the success achieved so quickly ought to serve as an impetus to do even better.
There is still a lot to be done. The report explains that the main area for improvement consists of achieving fifth stage sophistication on some services, and Malta managed to reach this level in six of the nine areas indicated, establishing the country as a pro-active leader in the further development of eGovernment services.
Although, by all means, this is already a success, it should push us to further improve our standards by obtaining better results in those areas where we have, so far, not excelled so much. And this is what Minister Gatt had in mind when he spoke about Malta making it to the top place next year.
All the government’s internet services are now accessible through mygov.mt, and users can personalise their page by choosing the utilities that interest them most. The features within the system make communication between the users at home or office and the service provider as secure as possible.
An emphasis was also made on the fact that the portal may be personalised. Moreover, a clear attempt is being made to encourage people who never used the email facility to apply for a digital certificate and avail themselves of the government’s electronic services. This is a very positive step with regard to improving IT literacy and should further contribute to the country’s upward trend in this regard.
Some people are perhaps still somewhat wary of using the computer, especially when it comes to matters involving money transactions. But over the years systems have become more secure. As Dr Gatt stressed, digital certificates are becoming more and more important as this enables users to know exactly who they are dealing with in their communications, and therefore people who want to make important electronic transactions should make sure that they are duly registered.
The use of the internet for such services saves time for citizens, as well as the government department or entity providing the particular service. People no longer need to queue up and spend half a day to get what they need and government employees can now be more efficient in their work.
This is the way forward. In a fast-moving world, such services do make one’s life easier and ultimately contribute towards a more efficient economy.
Quelle/Source: The Malta Independent Online, 01.10.2007
