Justice and Local Council Minister Austin Gatt launched the mGovernment service giving individuals access to government services via their mobile phone. He explained that the services offered are completely avant-garde and that in the EU Malta would be the first one to embark on the mGovernment project, hence it might serve as a model for developments which might occur in this sector.
Dr Gatt said that this mGovernment is dictated by the realities of this country, Today there are more mobile phones than computers and there is a phenomenal rate of persons who send SMSs everyday with an average rate of a million daily.
It was natural to develop government services operated by mobile phones, as an alternative service delivery channel of the eGovernment.
This innovation, now unites the various service delivery channels, from where a person can access government services. Today, persons can access the public services via the Internet Centres at the local Councils, via the Web Phones in the streets, as well as via the mobile phones. Then there are those who have a computer at home or in the office.
The services offered so far are: the declaration of receipt of complaints from the public made through the website: servizz.gov.Notifications of deferments of court sittings; notifications to owners of licences for the renewal of licences. The other service is the notification of exam results of students who can receive their grades via SMS. Soon persons receiving social security will also soon start receiving notification by SMS when their cheque is deposited at their bank.
By the end of this year, said Minister Gatt, various other services will be offered. Blood donors would receive messages when their urgent donation is required, persons who would have reserved books at public libraries too would be notified when the books arrive, and the public would be able to apply for birth, marriage or death certificates via SMS.
Go Mobiles CEO Juanito Camilleri stated that in Malta around 30 million SMS are sent every month. He explained that behind that process which seems simple, there is an elaborate and modern technology. These services are avant-garde and exist in no other country, he concluded.
Quelle: DI-VE