The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The Minnis government will today use its “e-Cabinet” system for the first time in a bid to make the top decision-making body “more efficient and effective” a Cabinet minister revealed yesterday.

Senator Kwasi Thompson, minister of state for finance, while addressing the launch of the government’s “one-stop shop” online portal for accessing government services, said: “Tomorrow [today], for the first time, we will use the e-Cabinet platform which makes it more convenient for the Cabinet to function.

“It makes it easier for the prime minister and ministers to manoevere through their Cabinet papers, making Cabinet meetings more efficient and effective.” Arguing that the government’s digital transformation initiative is not confined to its new portal, Mr Thompson added that Department of Social Services clients will also soon be able to register for services there online.

“Customs has their exemption programme that they will be launching very soon, where the public will be able to fill out a declaration online when they travel and for Customs duty before they arrive in the country,” he added, “making it easier and more convenient for Bahamians to do business and travel.

“We are active on a number of digital transformation fronts. We look forward to unveiling a full plan for electronic identification which will enhance doing business in the country as well. It’s about putting together and executing a holistic digital transformation we have in place.”

Mr Thompson said the government is also working with the United Nations’ (UN) International Telecommunications Union to complete an 18-month cyber security assessment that aims to expose any deficiencies in this nation’s digital defences as well as develop a team that can respond to major breaches.