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A new Commonwealth publicaton - ‘Information and Communication Technologies for the Public Service: A Small States Focus’ - provides lessons and experiences from a number of Commonwealth small states that have pioneered the electronic delivery of public services.

Implementing e-government initiatives

17 August 2008

Experiences from Commonwealth small states that have pioneered the electronic delivery of public services are outlined in new Commonwealth publication

The benefits and challenges facing small states in implementing e-government initiatives are addressed in a new publication from the Commonwealth Secretariat.

'Information and Communication Technologies for the Public Service: A Small States Focus' provides lessons and experiences from a number of Commonwealth small states that have pioneered the electronic delivery of public services. It also recommends steps that can be taken to move the deployment of e-governance forward.

Many governments around the world, particularly from the developed world, already utilise information and communication technologies (ICTs) and the networking opportunities they provide to fully modernise their respective systems as well as delivery of services.

A desire by developing Commonwealth countries to implement similar ICT strategies is complicated by a lack of finances and trained personnel with which to build the infrastructure, and the wider public's lack of connectivity to access such electronic services.

The book, edited by Devindra Ramnarine and RoseMarie-Rita Endeley, an Adviser on the Caribbean and Mediterranean regions at the Secretariat, concludes that despite these challenges e-government is here to stay and cannot be ignored.

E-governance is expected to bring about fully fledged participatory democracy, where the citizens are regularly involved in policy development. It would also result in more efficient service delivery in terms of allowing online payment of taxes, fees, fines and distribution of particular benefits.

The authors caution, however, that "the public will only find this acceptable if files and databanks are not cross-referenced or used for enforcement of policies extraneous to the purpose for which the data is collected."

The publication goes on to explain that the popularity of e-commerce, such as credit card processing, online catalogues and shopping, was one reason why ICTs came into government use in developing countries.

Another reason outlined is the success of electronic government in developed countries which can be seen with the transition from the use of e-mail to facilitating electronic voting.

"The public sector in many Commonwealth countries has undertaken a variety of e-governance and e-government projects to exploit the use of information and communication technology," writes Jacqueline Wilson, the Secretariat’s Director of Governance, in the foreword to this book.

"While there are significant benefits associated with these large and complex change initiatives, there are also many challenges that will be encountered during the journey toward e-governance and e-government."

HOW TO ORDER

This title can be bought through booksellers or online at http://publications.thecommonwealth.org/information-and-communication-technologies-for-the-public-service-569-p.aspx.

A full catalogue of Commonwealth Secretariat and Commonwealth Foundation publications can be viewed on the website, which provides a secure online buying facility. Orders can also be made through email or by post. Pre-payment is essential. Payment by sterling cheque drawn on a UK bank, international money order, postal order or bank draft must accompany your order. Cheques should be made out to York Publishing Services.

If you require the order form as an attachment in Word format please email the Publications Section (see address below). Post and packaging charges should be added to every order in the following way: UK orders: 15 per cent of order value (minimum charge £2.00). Non-UK orders: 25 per cent of order value (minimum charge £3.50).

Send orders to: Publications Section, Commonwealth Secretariat, Marlborough House, Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5HX, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 (0)20 7747 6534; Fax: +44 (0)20 7839 9081; Email: publications@commonwealth.int.