In 1997, the Singapore government
developed its e-citizen center portal. From a single education services
package in 1997, the portal grew gradually and by April 1999 it included 49
life events with about 150 transactions possible on the site. Once a citizen
logs on to the portal, his/her connection speed is automatically detected
and graphics are adjusted accordingly. The citizen is led down on a road of
life, along which he or she can stop at signs that indicate a series of life
events. At the first sign, citizens can apply for a birth certificate and
find out about immunizing their child. Subsequent life events involve
attending school, registering for national service, looking for a job,
pursuing career, going overseas, employing people and finally, retirement.
Each life event has a corresponding virtual town or building that a citizen
can enter. For example, in the Education Town, students can sign up to
attend schools, register for national exams, request a place in student
hostels and apply for government grants. At Health Town, patients can book
appointments with a doctor or dentist, register for admission at the
Singapore General Hospital, obtain weight and height charts, and even
purchase handbooks and cassette tapes on health and fitness. In Business
Town, companies can apply for patents, submit applications for industrial
facilities and apply for research and training grants for IT professionals
and students. In Housing Town, people can apply to get their telephone and
other utilities connected, inform government of a change of address and have
their mail redirected. They can also receive information on renting or
buying publicly subsidized apartments. Employment Town integrates
work-related services such as applying for jobs, recruitment, retirement,
and training. People can also post job vacancies, file income tax returns,
and request social security statements. The three agencies responsible for
overseas travel are joined together in Transportation Town, along with
organizations dealing with domestic transport. Citizens can apply for a
passport, notify the authorities of an overseas trip and apply for an exit
permit as well as order a taxi, take an online driver's test and renew their
vehicle registration.
Singapore has been able to deliver a high level of integrated, transactional
public services more easily than most governments because it is a small
country with a single layer of government and a highly developed
technological infrastructure. Its population of just 3.8 million people is
financially secured, educated and computer literate. |
More Classifications...