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OPEN Interactive, Inc. PR/Article
(St. Kitts, WI):
The Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis (SKN) launched its e-Gov website on Thursday, 18 of February 2016, introducing the Unity Government’s first phase of a nation building platform that is “…a way in which we can deliver on the promises we made,” asserts the Attorney General (AG) Vincent Byron of SKN (in a recent interview).
Also introduced is the ICT Governance Board—a newly-created national governing body operating as an “umbrella” ICT group designed to oversee Informations and Communications Technology. The board is composed of senior departmental members ensuring the success of government ICT platform to maintain its relevance and sustainability.
Nations which have undertook such a monumental feat—engaging various departments with its own comparable IT staff to come together in a commitment of exemplifying “unity” with the consolidation of “16 or so disparate websites”informed by the Attorney General Byron. This was done in this manner to ensure its goal of end-user satisfaction--both public and private stakeholders..
AG Byron expects “business people, residents, and visitors” to be served more efficiently, stating the “transformational aspect” of the platform with the beginning of yesterday’s e-Gov website unveiling. He noted of the Federation’s citizens that the seeds are now being sown to “create a paradigm shift of how we live, how we work, how we play.”
Aspirations were placed upon the new government by its citizens when about one year from now it took over—pledging that services to the people would improve, that government actions would be more transparent, and that vital interests of the people, especially that of upward mobility enabled by better health, education, and ability to achieve aid in business endeavors would be Manifesto firsts. AG Byron in a portion of a 4-part interview (to be shown on SKN) puts forth:
“…We have been able to surmount a number of challenges to be at the point where we can have this very exciting process of launching this new platform for our people to be able to communicate which government and for the government to communicate with the people and for people to access services that would normally take quite a bit of time with you standing in line for a couple of hours.”
Citizens, visitors and business investors alike may expect this e-governmental platform to not only allow for the processing of payments to governmental departments (i.e. utility, electricity, water or tax bills) but to request information and documents (i.e. birth certificates and driver’s licenses and renewals) and other desired transactions with its receipt within minutes not days or hours as is currently the case in most departments.
What is most promising is how the government of SKN is now on the exciting path to being a leader in the way of its nation building platform aided greatly by today’s e-Gov launch. The Prime Minister, the Honorable Dr. Timothy Harris shared his opening remarks at the OTI unveiling of the e-Gov website. His speech included praise for OPEN Interactive, headed by Kittitian Stachio Williams and the government’s own IT department of whom both Pierre Bowrin and Ophelia Blanchard represented. Both were eloquent as well as steadfast in the work that the P3 (Private-Public Partnership) worked tirelessly together to advance SKN’s government’s technology department. One, that in AG Byron’s words “places us right at the top in the region…and people around the world will take notice of what we do here in this roll out that we are embarking on.” The fact that all ministers were present for this launch was a visual recognition of this statement’s weight. Even invited guests representing various end-user stakeholders within the government (i.e. Stanley Knight, a Permanent Secretary), business leaders (i.e. Ernest Amory, of Real Estate, et al.), visitors (i.e. Mendix--the application on which the e-Gov site was built--employee, Nate, who with his wife and children enjoyed a few days touring the two islands and the Marriott Resort pool), along with everyday citizens (i.e. college students and faculty) were applauding loudly in show of pleasure for the unveiled site. One commenter with microphone in hand on live-camera shared her elation in a word, “Wow!”
Still, Williams in his deliberate presentation of the tabs and available site information (from SKN ‘Government’ to ‘Visitor’ to Education and more) said the roll out was only the beginning, with various governmental department apps for mobile and tablet along with computer use allowing for real-time involvement in the government by the all the people being slated for Phase II of the nation-building platform. What was also stated by a commenter, prefaced in the introduction by PM Harris, and reiterated by AG Byron was the issue of security. Applications allowing citizens to be “linked” into the government systems to allow for payments of taxes and other bills, submission of documents requiring signatures, and various other sensitive information, coming in the near future brings requires updated fiber network linkage to governmental offices and departments.
In 2004, the ministries under the old government had set improved intra-governmental communications, necessary to increased value of government services and to provide transparency in governmental actions, and what is vital to decrease any possible national security threat. A threat, PM Harris mentioned at the extremely well-attended launch, was no longer just a concern of larger nations, like the United States, but one that the Caribbean nations must take pains to thwart. Now, in 2016, the Unity Government unified on this endeavor has made it clear to all that SKN is now a leader in the Caribbean with the operation of its new platform. Governmental agencies, like the UN and IMF purposed for evaluating countries on “ease of doing business” and rating them on the ease and availability of government to citizen--and more importantly citizen to government--interaction, and with the many possible investors about to imbue upon our nation now due to a more informative and inviting website, will surely enhance our rating ten-fold.
Want to know about a few more “perks” with the e-GOV website now being available? Stay-tuned to SKNVibes--nation-building section. Phase II will be detailed at every step. Be sure to add your comments.
CONTACT:
Stachio Williams of OPEN Interactive, Inc.
Email: newsroom@sknvibes.com
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