ICT Network Across Government Being Revamped
By: , February 12, 2019The Key Point:
Photo: Adrian Walker
Finance and the Public Service Minister, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, provides an update on the Government’s Public Sector Transformation Programme, at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston recently.The Facts
- The Public Sector Efficiency and ICT pillar is one of five targeted under the Public Sector Transformation Programme, now under way.
- Finance and the Public Service Minister, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, who provided a programme update recently, said ICT improvements will entail upgrading of Government’s central data centre, among others.
The Full Story
The information and communications technology (ICT) network underpinning connectivity across Government is being revamped to further improve public service delivery.
The Public Sector Efficiency and ICT pillar is one of five targeted under the Public Sector Transformation Programme, now under way.
Finance and the Public Service Minister, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, who provided a programme update recently, said ICT improvements will entail upgrading of Government’s central data centre, among others.
This, he pointed out, will facilitate consolidation of various data centres and applications within the public sector, resulting in better management and security of government information, and digitised service delivery.
Dr. Clarke cited several services already being digitally facilitated, including online property tax payment and National Housing Trust (NHT) contribution refund application and disbursement.
Additionally, he said significant progress has been made in border transaction processes, among other areas.
“Imagine all the other ways in which we have to interact with the Government… imagine a Jamaica where all of those things, we can get online… whether those are for the individual or they are for business. That is what we are trying to achieve with the ICT component of public sector transformation,” the Minister explained.
Dr. Clarke said that structured information sharing and communications technology, and more efficient information flow across ministries, departments and agencies are necessary, “because, ultimately, a lot of MDAs will have to work together to get [any single engagement] done”.
The Minister indicated that the Public Sector Efficiency and ICT Pillar roll-out will start in the Kingston Metropolitan Area and be gradually implemented across the island.
Other focus areas are Shared Corporate Services; Public Bodies; Human Resource Management Transformation; and Wage Bill Management.
The programme’s roll-out is being spearheaded by the Transformation Implementation Unit.