Addressing stakeholders on behalf of the State Minister for Finance, Financial Secretary John A. Rolle explained how much easier it is to register government documents with a credit card and an e-signature to conduct business in one of the most popular regional offshore jurisdictions.
"There is no denying the impact of Information and Communications Technology on how Governments around the world are managing the public sector and their respective economies. For us, the use of the Internet and computer technology has brought much efficiency to Government processes over the years, and is key to improving how we deliver service and do business here in The Bahamas” said Mr. Rolle.
He continued that "the Government of The Bahamas has made sizable investments in technology in the past, and to date, in the public service, we have deployed several enterprises and many business applications; emails and the Internet are common tools for communications and research; and all Government Agencies are connected by a closed network. Nonetheless, there is much room for improvement and a need to strategize and implement solutions using a 'whole of government approach' to Information and Communications Technology."
Mr. Rolle pointed out that The Bahamas embarked on an e-Government Initiative a few years ago with the objective of transforming this country into the best place to work, live and do business. He said that while it could be stated that e-Government simply means transacting with the Government electronically, the Government sees it as a business model to improve productivity, just as the private sector has.
"It is not only for the dissemination of information and the provision of online transactions, but for reducing cost and opening a new channel of communication and networking with businesses, citizens, and the world. Any government that fails to adopt the model will fail to realize its economic and productivity potential," said Mr. Rolle.
"In order to achieve our objectives, the Government must not only provide its services electronically, but we must also take the lead in stimulating the use of technology in all sectors of our economy through our offerings of online services and incentives for their use."
Mr. Rolle said that Bahamian citizens and residents must reach our citizens and businesses through channels that move them away from the counter and the physical cash register. He said that the Finance Ministry must make it possible for citizens and businesses to reach the Government at their convenience and not have to drive to physical locations at restricted hours, as well as show them the benefits that can be derived from using this new means of interacting with the Government.
"In these times of fiscal constraint, we must also prioritize our efforts so that we get the greatest impact from our investments. One of the ways the Government is prioritizing its efforts is to focus on areas that are affecting our ability to be more competitive with similar jurisdictions," said Mr. Rolle.
"Many of you would have seen the latest World Bank 'Ease of Doing Business' report, and noted that The Bahamas ranks 77 out of 185 countries. While 77 out of 185 is in the top %42, the trend is that we are moving downward. In 2009, we ranked 55; in 2012, 71; and now in 2013, 77."
Mr. Rolle said that the 'Ease of Doing Business' ranking focuses on 11 areas in the life cycle of a business and covers starting a business, construction permits, registering property, protecting investors, paying taxes, enforcing contracts, resolving insolvency and employing workers. He also said that 10 of these relate to Government processes, and nine fall under the procedures of Central Government.
"Therefore, in spite of the low rankings, there is much hope that we could arrest this situation as most of these areas involve Government processes and services that could be made available online by rendering forms and accepting payments at our e-Government Portal. It is our intention to use our e-Government Programme to drive and coordinate the activities necessary to help the appropriate agencies improve the processing speed for these items and thus improve our ranking," said Mr. Rolle.
"We have planned this forum to discuss the 'Ease of Doing Business' ranking and share with you how we plan to improve these areas by firstly, redesigning our internal processes to speed-up service delivery, and secondly building the necessary online services to improve the turn-around time and provide the 24/7 convenience that is now expected when transacting with the Government online."
Mr. Rolle said that a successful outcome of any national venture is only possible when we all work together to achieve a common goal. He concluded by saying he implores the public to reach out in the spirit of believing that a better Bahamas starts with each of us.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Gena Gibbs
Quelle/Source: the bahamas weekly, 21.03.2013
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