Making an Impact: Technology and Reform in Trinidad and Tobago Presenters: Arlene McComie Mrs Shelley-Ann Clarke-Hin

1. Making an Impact: Technology and Reform in Trinidad and TobagoPresenters:Arlene McComieMrs Shelley-Ann Clarke-Hinds

2. ICT in CARICOM: A Commonwealth View ICT Development Countries Mature : Canada, India, Singapore, United Kingdom Advanced: Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago Progressive: Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Grenada, Saint Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines Emerging: Belize, Dominica, Guyana, St. Kitts & Nevis

3. CARICOM ICT PRIORITIES • Connectivity is a top CARICOM priority • Infrastructure: e.g. CKLN; Regional Video- • conferencing facility • Process: Improving regional information flows; • embedding ICT in work of CARICOM • Other ICT priorities include: • Building ICT capacity in the region • Supporting the CSME • Utilizing ICTs to improve regional security and for • disaster preparedness and mitigation • Many CARICOM Member States now developing National ICT Strategies

4. National Development Agenda • Vision Statement: By the year 2020, Trinidad and Tobago will be a united, resilient, productive, innovative and prosperous nation with a disciplined, caring, fun-loving society, comprising healthy, happy and well-educated people and built on the enduring attributes of self-reliance, respect, equity and integrity.

5. Vision 2020 has five (5) Developmental Priorities: • Developing Innovative People • Nurturing a Caring Society • Enabling Competitive Business • Investing in Sound Infrastructure & the Environment • Promoting Effective Government

6. About fastforward • National ICT Vision • “Trinidad and Tobago is in a prominent position in the global information society through real and lasting improvements in social, economic and cultural development caused by the deployment and usage of information and communications technology” • Focus • 2003-2008: Connectivity • 2009-2013: Usage and Uptake • Closely aligned with Public Sector Transformation agenda

7. Assumptions: An efficient and effective Public Service is a critical success factor (CSF) for the achievement of Vision 2020 Citizen-centric approach requires transforming and integrating government processes around citizens’ needs Greater integration can be enabled by ICT Many public servants are extremely capable and dedicated Public Sector Transformation

8. Challenges: Demand for services is changing; citizen/client expectations are greater Considerable modernization or redeployment of public sector resources required Public sector culture is status quo focused: change often resisted Departments tend to operate in silos: limited collaboration and information sharing Public Sector Transformation

9. WHY TRANSFORM? EXTERNAL FACTORS • Effects of Globalization • Emergence of Technology • More demanding and knowledgeable citizenry INTERNAL FACTORS • Cross-cutting challenges requiring integrated approaches: joined-up government • Need to engage private sector and civil society as development partners • Continuous search for efficiency and cost-effectiveness

10. National Public Sector Transformation Agenda • Four primary elements of NPSTA • Service Delivery Improvement • HR Modernisation • Leadership Development • Cohesive and Effective Government • ICT is inevitably a key component of most significant NPSTA initiatives: • some initiatives are technology-based • ICT is a key enabler affecting critical aspects of public sector activities • ICT is a critical tool not an end in itself

11. Implementation Two Broad Categories of Transformation Projects: • Enterprise-wide/Horizontal (whole Public Service) • Vertical (Ministry-specific)

12. Case Study: GovNeTT • GovNeTTis the Government Wide Area Network (G-WAN) • Common network connecting all Ministries; serves as the preferred platform for inter / intra-Ministerial communication & collaboration • Supports enterprise-wide application deployment (e.g. human resource management, payroll, electronic document management) • Shared services include email, instant messaging and firewall/anti-virus • Ongoing: Significant upgrades and additional services e.g. video-conferencing, Internet Telephony

13. GovNeTT: Lessons Learnt • The project is a “PPP” between GoRTT and vendor alliance (= valuable experience with developing “PPP” business model for T&T) • Different approaches required to satisfy clients at different stages of IT development: • Some Ministries with limited IT services enjoyed immediate benefits • Other Ministries had IT services that exceeded G-WAN (e.g. email size)

14. Case Study: Project ihRIS • In 2001, the Integrated Human Resource Information System (IhRIS) was launched. • Uses PeopleSoft software which was intended to fit the Human Resource Management needs of Trinidad and Tobago’s public service • It is composed of 2 (separate) components: • IhRIS proper - owned by the Service Commissions Department (SCD) • Integrated Global Payroll - owned by Ministry of Finance (MoF)

15. Project ihRIS: Lessons Learnt IhRIS = key successes in some areas: • PeopleSoft deployed (via GovNeTT) • 50K + public servants paid via IhRIS payroll • Challenges remain: • Many functions of IhRISnot fully utilized • Limited HR collaboration between departments • Conclusion: IhRIS = limited success story • Primary focus was on technical solution • People/change management issues were not adequately addressed

16. CASE STUDY • ttconnect Online e-Government Portal (Internet) • ttconnectService Centre common counters (in Person) • ttconnectKiosk automated kiosks (Self-Serve) Coming Soon: • ttconnect Hotline  Telephone helpdesk • ttconnect Mobile Government information and services via mobile telephones using SMS Text Messaging

17. Lessons Learnt • ttconnect still evolving as an initiative. Challenges: • ttconnect initially developed as two distinct processes • Public sector reform with focus on service centres • fastforward project based on portal / kiosks • Time lost in integrating these projects • Critical issues identified include: Importance of “quick wins” to build credibility • Need for effective stakeholder engagement

18. Enabling Environment Connectivity: T&T ranked #4 globally in mobile penetration (WEF 2008 about 1.5 phones per person) High-Speed Internet: about 88.5K broadband subscribers at Dec 2008 138% increase over 2007) T&T citizens, especially young people, embrace new technology Estimated 95K on Facebook Appropriate Legislative Framework: Two bills currently laid before Parliament: Data Protection and Privacy Bill Electronic Transaction Bill

19. Stakeholder Engagement • Internal: Private Sector: • CSF for success of fastforward is increased usage and adoption of ICT by business, e.g. EnterpriseNeTTand Tradenet • ICT Sector identified as discrete sector, key to achieving economic growth, providing jobs: ICT Cluster Development Strategy • (2008:Telecom Sector earned TT $4.1bn, approx 2.8% of GDP) • Government increasingly adopts outsourcing model • Consequently GoRTT adopts PPP approach to its ICT development • External: • As with other SIDS, difficult for T&T to address many ICT development challenges on its own • Therefore, assistance sought from selected partners: • Countries: e.g. Canada, Singapore, the United Kingdom • Agencies e.g. ITU, Commonwealth, ECLAC

20. Ongoing Initiatives In the pipeline: • - Leadership Development Programme for PS / Deputy PS • (Increase capacity in current office holders by addressing identified competency gaps & functional deficiencies) • - ttconnectGovNeTT and IhRIS upgrades • - Implementation of full e-Services suite To facilitate this T&T has established a State-owned company: • The National ICT Centre of MPA became the National ICT Company Ltd (known as “iGovTT”)on 20 July 2009 - ICT implementation arm of Government - Government Chief Information Officer

21. SOME LESSONS LEARNT Most public sector reform initiatives have a significant technology component ….… but technology is secondary to people Projects will not succeed without effective engagement of all stakeholders (internal and external) Support from top-level leadership is a CSF Partnerships (including PPPs) can provide a win-win outcome Identification of some quick wins builds confidence among clients Transformation requires longterm planning and continuous refinement of strategies to address the changing environment

22. Public Service Moving Forward • More efficient operations • Increased accessibility • Citizens delighted by our service

23. THANK YOU!