Following the successful launch of its 21st Century Government initiative at a Heads of Government Summit in Antigua and Barbuda in January 2018, the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) will be presenting, in a workshop in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in March 2018, a policy framework and guidelines for implementation of 21st Century Government.
A 21st Century Government is one that makes effective use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to deliver services to its citizens, and its internal and external clients. It is characterised by citizen-centric, seamless, open, interactive, efficient and transparent processes. 21st Century Government will transform the public service, strengthen economic competitiveness and promote sustainable development. Many countries have been introducing electronic government (e-Government) services but the process has been very slow.
Read more: AG: CTU continues 21st Century Government thrust in St Vincent and the Grenadines
When it comes to the Caribbean’s vision for 21st Century Government, Estonia is an excellent example of the possibilities for transforming governments and countries.
With a population of 1.3 million, Estonia is ranked among the world’s top leaders in the development of e-government having 99% of its public services available online 24/7.
Government systems and processes that may have worked well before the digital revolution at the end of the 20th century, have now failed the tests of cost and time efficiency, productivity, transparency and competitiveness.
The revolution in information and communication technologies (ICT) has provided an opportunity for governments to discard anachronistic operational methods in favor of modern technological solutions which enable seamless, integrated and streamlined access to information across the public sector. This is the vision of the 21st Century Government Programme.
Read more: AG: Summit and symposium on 21st Century Government
Prime Minister Dr. The Rt. Hon. Keith Mitchell will deliver the feature address at the 21st Century Government Summit on 16th January 2018 at the St. James Club, Antigua and Barbuda.
This Summit, organised by the Government of Antigua and Barbuda and the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU), in collaboration with the Caribbean Centre for Development Administration (CARICAD) is the first activity of a programme for transforming the Caribbean public service, called 21st Century Government. Such governments will be characterised by citizen-centric, seamless, open, interactive and efficient processes and will make effective use of information and communication technologies to deliver services to its citizens, internal and external clients.
Read more: AG: Prime Minister Mitchell endorses 21st Century Government
The Electronic Transactions (Amendment) Bill 2016 was passed in the Upper House of Parliament yesterday, in just under eight minutes and without a word of opposition.
Senate Majority Leader, Senator Lennox Weston described the short amendment as “some house cleaning” and briefly summarised its aim.
“Basically … this is some house cleaning (and) window cleaning to make sure that when we use electronic data we can make sure it’s authentic. We have some flexibility in filing electronic data and it’s preparing us for when we go to an e government platform,” he said.
Read more: AG: Electronic transactions amendment passes Upper House