procedures, forms, maps, research papers, and numerous statistics, which may be sold or
shared free of charge as appropriate. Moreover, the Government’s own policy-making,
monitoring and decision-support processes can be greatly enhanced as access to
authoritative, timely and accurate data becomes more widespread, and is coupled to
enhanced knowledge-sharing internally within the public service.
As the country’s biggest employer, the public sector’s recruitment standards will
necessarily influence the national labour market and the curricula of education and
training institutions, whereby if ICT competencies permeate the public sector’s
recruitment requirements, then the other sectors will benefit too. For these reasons, the
Public Service requires a specific emphasis in the National ICT Policy.
3.8.2 Policy Objectives:
a) Help increase the productivity of both the public and private sectors, by achieving the
Government’s intention to be a model user of ICT.
b) Empower the public by building an e-Government platform that facilitates their
relationship and interactions with the Government, and enhances the range and delivery
of more effective public services at both central and local levels, while also generating
accurate and timely information to better shape policies, strategic plans and tactical
decisions for developing and enhancing the delivery of affordable public services.
c) Promote good corporate and public governance by furthering information sharing,
transparency and accountability.
d) Enable public services to contribute meaningfully in achieving poverty reduction targets,
in accordance to the priorities of the national Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP).
e) Enhance public participation.
3.8.3 Policy Challenges
i. Increasing productivity (efficiency, effectiveness and continuity) of the public service.
ii. Creating an e-governance environment responsive to the needs of the citizens.
iii. Improving accessibility and affordability of public services to the citizens, wherever they
are.
iv. Building efficient communications and knowledge sharing within the public service.
v. Setting up harmonised information banks with uniform, consistent, up to date, and secure
data and management systems.
vi. Increasing the ICT awareness, knowledge and skills of public servants.
vii. Introducing operational processes and institutional structures that are amenable to ICT
application and deployment.
viii. The capture, preservation, and dissemination of relevant government records and archives,
and their potential use as multimedia content of significant local relevance.
ix. Establishing safeguards on data systems to protect the privacy of individuals whose
personal data is held, and the confidentiality of information about entities and activities as
relevant.
Page 19