The Division of Public Sector Modernization (DPSM) continues its digital transformation efforts to modernize and transform public sector services by deploying two additional online services (application for birth and death certificate) on the GOSL’s Digital Integrated e-Services Platform, digiGov. The implementation of digiGov, which is designed to aggregate and launch 154 digital public services is one of the essential aspects of the government’s digital transformation drive to improve the provisioning of public service delivery.
According to Marlon Narcisse, head of the Division of Public Sector Modernization, digiGov is at the heart of St. Lucia’s digital transformation agenda. “We see digiGov as the catalyst for digital transformation, essentially focusing on how we can use technology to improve lives and also to improve government internal efficiencies. This would then translate to providing additional services to the public, where they could access government services online at their convenience, and also allowing government to reduce on the actual cost of producing these services”, Narcisse said.
In a brief overview of the digiGov project, Narcisse highlighted some of the most frequently used services on the platform.
Since its inception in June 2020, the platform has launched 17 vehicle-related services, including applications for and renewal of driver’s licenses, permits, applications for omnibus endorsement among others, and most recently, applications for the Covid-19 Digital Vaccination Certificate was onboarded. “So far, we have 18 services available online to the public, with over 40,000 transactions taking place on the platform, with roughly 40% of those transactions taking place online,” Narcisse explained. “This is a very good indicator for how to set policy going forward, and looking specifically at what types of services we should be adding on the platform in the near future.”
He added that the project is currently looking at other transformative types of services and access for the business community through the implementation of the Registry of Companies and Intellectual Property, ROCIP online. Over the past year, the Division of Public Sector Modernization (DPSM) has been working with the Civil Status Registry (CSR) to automate and digitize at least ten crucial vital record services by the end of 2022.
The first phase of the process will see the deployment of two services, the application for Birth and Death Certificates, to the digiGov platform, and is slated to be launched on February 24, 2022. The Civil Status Registry’s modernization initiative, according to the registrar Verlinda Stanislas Pierre, are aimed to benefit all stakeholders. “For the citizens, we are saying that there will be more convenience for them, they will be able to apply online, and they have the option to pay online or utilize any of the government’s Treasury Offices”. “One of the other major benefits for citizens is that the system will be more transparent,” she continued, “simply because once you’ve submitted your application, the Civil Status Registry will now be accountable to the public, which means that once their requests are submitted, we’ll have to ensure that registry responds to the public.”
The registrar also underscored the benefits to the Registry, citing greater efficiency, increased staff productivity, a reduction in recurrent spending, and less wastage as important advantages. “It would be a timelier process because the process will be more seamless, and we will see increased productivity,” Pierre added.
The first two of the e-services of the Civil Status Registry, application for birth and application death certificates, will be accessible to the public at www.digigov.govt.lc following the official launch, on Thursday 24th, February 2022, at 10am, at the Financial Center.