e. bryan - work programme undesa-caricad tasf on e-government

Caribbean Technical and Advisory Services Facility (TASF) on eGovernment

Work Programme

Action-Oriented eGovernment Strategy for Countries of the Caribbean Region

TASF is jointly funded by CARICAD and UNDESA

Emerson O. Bryan, Research Assistant TASF


• What is CARICAD?• What is eGovernment?• Background to the Caribbean TASF• The Regional Action-Oriented

eGovernment Strategy• Operational Objectives• Challenges• Conclusion

OBJECTIVES


CARICAD is a regional intergovernmental Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Agency specializing in transforming and modernizing the public sector within Caribbean States.

Headquartered in Bridgetown, the capital of Barbados, CARICAD was established in 1980 by an agreement among CARICOM governments.

What is CARICAD?


Some DefinitionsWhat is eGovernment? eGovernment is the use of information and

communication technology (ICT) to promote more efficient and effective government, facilitate more accessible government services, allow greater public access to information, and make government more accountable to citizens.

eGovernment might involve delivering services via the Internet, telephone, community centers (self serviced or facilitated by others), wireless devices, or other communications systems. (Pacific Council on International Policy Working Group on eGovernment in the Developing World) 2002.


Why eGovernment? The improvement of ICT and e-government

systems in public sector management can:i. be a powerful engine for economic growth,

competitiveness and jobs, while at the same timeii. improving citizens’ quality of life. It will facilitate

communication between public authoritiesiii. and citizens, and between businesses and clients. It

also has the potential to increase citizeniv. participation in the democratic process and can, in

ultimate analysis, improve the position ofv. Caribbean countries in the global political

economy.


Background to the Caribbean TASF on eGovernment

Ministerial Consultations 1st Caribbean Ministerial Consultation and High-Level Workshop, Port

of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 15 – 17 May, 2000 2nd Ministerial Consultation on Capacity Building for Caribbean

States, Rome, Italy, 2-3 October, 2000 3rd Caribbean Regional Ministerial Consultation and High-Level

Workshop, Montego Bay, Jamaica, 11-14 December, 2001 4th Caribbean Ministerial Consultation and High Level Workshop on

Public Sector Management: Strategies for E-Government, Point Salines, Grenada, 14-15 January, 2003

5th Caribbean Ministerial Consultation on Regional Cooperation for E-Government Capacity Building, St. James, Barbados, 17-18 June, 2004


Action-Oriented eGovernment Strategy

The operational part of this Strategy will constitute the Caribbean E-Government Initiative, open to all Caribbean countries.

Its aim will be: 1. To establish at the regional level, within six month from approval of the

Strategy, a facility at the service of national and regional e-government efforts;

2. To provide a broad updateable programmatic framework for

activities deemed crucial from the point of view of e-government development in the Caribbean, to be considered in national and regional plans and programs for e-government development and to offer programmatic information to the donors.


Regional Action-Oriented eGovernment Strategy

The Strategy at a glance:

Vision: Better government

Goals: Participation, social services, transition to knowledge

society

Domain: All people in the Caribbean Region


The Strategy at a glance (cont’d):

Values: Integrity, professionalism, accountability, diversity, and in

the broader context of human development: freedom, equity, solidarity, tolerance, respect for nature, and shared responsibility.

Context: Reform of the public administration in the Caribbean.



Focus: Institutional and human resources capacity building.



Partnerships:

Among public administrations in the Caribbean countries; between the public

administration and their national constituencies (civil society, business); between public administrations and regional and international organizations, as well as governments outside the region.



Caribbean eGovernment Initiative:

The CARICAD-based Regional Facility to provide the Region with services and products.

The Programmatic Framework, as reference for countries, regional organizations, and donors.


OperationalObjectives

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Work Programme


T@SF New logo of the TASF as approved

by UNDESA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Italian_coa.png



This Work Plan serves to operationalize the Action-Oriented e-Government Strategy for Countries of the Caribbean Region 2004 – 2007, which was adopted by the 5th Ministerial Consultation on Regional Co-operation for e-Government Capacity Building in Barbados, in June 2004. It has been developed to ensure that personnel functioning within the Technical and Advisory Support Facility (TASF) are able to visualise and measure their actual contribution to the strategic objectives of the TASF of CARICAD, as well as to other routine duties. The Work Plan covers the next six (6) month, i.e.; the period October 2005 – March 2006.


1. Establish Caribbean eGovernment Observatory;

2. Set-up Caribbean Forum on eGovernment;

3. Establish guidelines and standards to facilitate harmonization and operability of eGovernment applications;

TASF Work Programme


4. Liaise (or manage the co-ordination) between countries, UNDESA, donors, and other partners to ensure the provision of the requested advisory services;

5. Develop and establish a Comprehensive Information Management Programme within CARICAD to further strengthen the functions carried-out by the TASF and CARICAD.


So, what have we achieved since being established?


Technical Assistance:

In-country workshops on “Policy Formulation and Implementation in the Information Age: Towards an Evidence-based Approach to E-Government Policy Making and Change Management” was undertaken by the Caribbean Technical and Advisory Support Facility (TASF) on E-Government for the following countries: Dominica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Belize.


Technical Assistance:

Provided information Management Systems Analysis for:

• Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM)• Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)• Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority

(ECTEL)


Technical Guidelines:

• eGovernment Handbook “Policy Formulation in the Information Age”

• Records and Information Management Manual for CARICAD


Dr. Cletus K. Bertin, Knowledge and Information Manager

Emerson O. Bryan, Research Assistant

Staff of the Caribbean Technical and Advisory Services Facility (TASF) on eGovernment


Hopefully we can

convert a few people!


The Challenges in an Information Society to governments are more daunting than anything

they [governments] had to face in the past. Governments in their typical bureaucratic mode

and political nature adapt very slowly to changes, thus meeting the needs of an Internet

savvy society can become problematic.

Richard Kerby, Inter-Regional Advisor on eGovernment, Division for Public Administration and Development Management (UNDESA) March 2005.

Challenges


• Digital Divide• Political Issues• ICT Infrastructure

harmonization• Economic impact• Information literacy


Can we make it happen?


Well, we intend on at least trying..!


Join us on our journey.


• Questions?


More information?

Visit:

http://www.unpan.org/tasf

Email:[email protected]


T@SF Thank You



e. bryan - work programme undesa-caricad tasf on e-government

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