WRITTEN ON October 27th, 2004 BY Vin Sumner AND STORED IN Across the Board, Ideal Goverment - project
It strikes me that when talking about eGovernment there are a number of distinct constituencies all of which have very different perspectives.
– there is the group now discussing “ideal government” folk at ease with technology and probably in the main early adopters of technology
– there are the “policy makers ….. both politicians and civil servants” who know something needs doing and therefore do lots …. but never really start or finish …. just ensure that a lot is going on ….. a kind of enoise …. so many initiatives …. so little real change
– there are the large majority of public servants, who are rightly nervous of the real impact of real egovernment on their jobs and ways of doing things …. their comfort zones are starting to be threatened
– then there is the great majority (citizens and businesses) to whom much of this is a side show … in North West (55% not used internet 75% would not use egov)
To me we are failing both with the argument and with the delivery.
So what? Just because some people will not use it, why should those people who would both use it and benefit from it not have that option? I really do not give a damn what the great majority will do in 2004 as it is just a matter of time before most houses have broadband and expectations rise to match that capability. I expect the same arguments were made with the advent of telephones.
Moreover, for sure some civil servants will find themselves out of a job if e-gov really does yeild massive efficiencies and the sooner that happens, the better for my tax bill. Bring it on.