Shania Shayal Prasad 
[file photo]
The government has acknowledged low productivity within the civil service and is planning a major overhaul.
Communications Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica said the solution lies in automation, aiming to automate up to 80 percent of civil service functions over the next five to ten years.
A key part of this plan, he states is the introduction of a national digital ID system, designed to streamline services and improve accountability.
Communications Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica [file photo]
“And with those tools, you will see, one, more transparency in service delivery. People can’t hide behind their decks, behind their phones, behind whatever else.”
Kamikamica also points out that automation will enforce service agreements, reducing delays and boosting efficiency. However, he stresses the need for more incentives to drive digitization.
Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Professor Biman Prasad [file photo]
Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Professor Biman Prasad supports the push, noting that early improvements in service delivery are already evident.
“And perhaps in terms of the way forward for a lot of us that are in labor intensive jobs, that’s probably the next stage. In order to achieve productivity, you really need to start to have a look at ways of digitizing or mechanizing certain items.”
The broader goal, Prof Prasad adds is to modernize the public service, improve efficiency, and drive economic growth.
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