CDT & infoDev E-Government Handbook
Introduction
The Phases of E-Government
Transforming Governments
Challenges and Opportunities
Reports and Other Resources

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Phase 1: PUBLISH - using ICT to expand access to government information

Governments generate huge volumes of information, much of it potentially useful to individuals and businesses. The Internet and other advanced communications technologies can bring this information quickly and more directly to citizens. Publish implementations of e-government diverge widely in their design and content, but developing nations generally can start the process of e-government by publishing government information online, beginning with rules and regulations, documents, and forms. Enabling citizens and businesses to readily access government information without having to travel to government offices, stand in long lines or pay bribes can be a revolutionary advance for nations wracked by inefficient bureaucracy and corruption.

Publish sites seek to disseminate information about government and information compiled by government to as wide an audience as possible. In doing so, publish sites serve as the leading edge of e-government.

Recommendations for Publish Projects:

  • Begin with a strategy to get information online, with appropriate milestones.
  • Post information of value to people in their daily lives, and emphasize local language content.
  • Consider a mandate that all agencies publish a specified range of information online.
  • Seek attainable results using available resources.
  • Design sites so they are easy to maintain, and sustain funding to ensure that information is updated regularly.
  • Focus on content that supports other goals, e.g. economic development, anti-corruption, attracting foreign direct investment.

Case Example: Government of Colombia Portal - a one-stop portal for access to government information.

At the beginning of 2000, the President of Colombia issued a directive requiring all federal government agencies to create Internet sites representing their services to the Colombian citizenry, which are now linked through a single portal. E-government managers focused on the quality of the sites, because they recognized that producing a supply of useful material on the Internet would stimulate greater demand for Internet access overall, and thereby increase the penetration rate. http://www.gobiernoenlinea.gov.co

Case study:

Case Example: TaniNet - an agricultural community development web site in Malaysia, utilizing ICT to bring vital agricultural information (such as prices and biotechnological information) and services to farmers in Malaysia and across the South Pacific.

Through a collaborative effort, farmers and the Malaysian Agricultural Ministry created TaniNet, an Internet-based online resource, to bring information such as up-to-date pricing and e-commerce distribution channels to remote locations. Farmers can post inquiries on the TaniNet online bulletin board that are either answered by other farmers or forwarded to relevant experts for response. TaniNet encourages local content development and the sharing of information online. Commercial services help to finance and sustain TaniNet. Web site:http://www.taninet.com.my

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