The Republic of Malta wants to increase the use of eGovernment services by simplifying online processes and by creating a one-stop-shop eGovernment portal. The government will also increase training of public administration’s staff members.
In Malta, the take-up of eGovernment services is low: just 28% of Internet users aged 16 to 74 have filled in online government forms, according to Joyce Dimech, Permanent Secretary for Strategy & Implementation at Malta’s Office of the Prime Minister. A special eGovernment working group is to increase top management support, Ms Dimech announced last month, in a presentation at the Tallinn e-Governance Conference 2016.
Continuous top management support is necessary for dealing with resistance and ensuring interdepartmental communication and cooperation, Ms Dimech explained.
Smart phone
One contributing factor is that eGovernment services are not optimised for smartphones. In Malta the number of mobile data subscriptions is far higher (129 %) than the number of broadband connections (38%). In October, Malta will unveil its Mobile Government Strategy, detailing the implementation of eGovernment services adapted to smart phones.
The low use of eGovernment services is contrasted by the high ratings of the republic’s online services. In 2014 Malta was rated 40th in the UN eGovernment Survey. In 2015, the islands’ eGovernment services were rated as the best against a European benchmark. This year, Malta was ranked 11th in the European Digital Economy & Society Index (DESI).
More information:
Presentation by Ms Dimech (PDF)
Tallinn e-Governance Conference 2016 website