The civil service needs a fully computerised system
Published:Thursday | March 2, 2023 | 12:24 AM
THE EDITOR. Madam:
When a system is automated for the first time, the recommendation is that a parallel system is run. That is, the manual system is operated while updating to the computerised system. This should typically be run for a predetermined time while all the necessary checks are performed on the newly computerised system. As the system begins to perform to specification, then there is the switch over to the automated system.
After the many years since the introduction of computers into the civil service in Jamaica, it appears that we have not yet graduated to a fully computerised system.
When one visits the tax office to do any transaction, you can still see civil servants writing in logs and customers are still required to fill out forms and affix their signatures – sometimes two places on the same form.
These processes are so lengthy that often it requires one to take a full day off from work to do routine stuff. And this after standing in long lines and going through all the required paperwork to complete a transaction. These are low-hanging fruits that do not take a lot of money to fix. If we are to increase productivity in this country, we need to be time conscious. The investments are already made, let us maximise the return on these investments. We can do better.
CARLTON FEARON