53 e-services are presently available in the public sector

The first phase of the Government Fibre Network project (GFN), which aims at providing ample bandwidth to ministries and departments for accessing government applications, internet and email services, has been completed.

It comprised the connection of four sites hosting ministries and government departments – Air Mauritius Centre, Emmanuel Anquetil Building, Renganaden Seeneevassen Building and the New Government Centre – to a highspeed fibre network.

The information was revealed by the Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Mr. Tassarajen Pillay Chedumbrum, during a workshop on the modernisation of the Civil Service through e-services.

Improving the quality of public services can be achieved by providing e-services in a more effective manner and by showing that the public sector is responsive to the needs and expectations of its clientele, he said.

Minister of Civil Service and Administrative Reforms, Mr Ashit Gungah, underlined the need for public service to shift to state-of-the-art technologies and be digitally up-to-date in order to overcome the challenges of globalisation.

However, the most challenging aspect, he said, remains the integration of the technology in the functional behaviour of governmental institutions to ensure effective service delivery.

According to Minister Gungah, lack of communication has been substantially responsible for the low use of e-services. These services will succeed only if participants develop communication strategies that can influence customers’ attitudes and behaviour while they adopt a customer-oriented approach that increases productivity, reduces routine work and creates added value.

Fifty-three e-services are presently available in the public sector. However, a survey conducted recently indicated that few of those services are used by the public.

During the workshop, participants discussed the findings of the survey as well as learned from the successful experiences of three departments namely the police, the National Transport Authority and the Mauritius Revenue Authority in strengthening public confidence in their e-services.