What is E-Government? “E-Government’ (or Digital Government) is defined as ‘The employment of the Internet and the world-wide-web for delivering government information and services to the citizens.”
The government of Barbados has an opportunity to use E-Government online services to expand the economic contribution that Bajans living abroad can make in these challenging economic times. While we continue to place “ALL” bets on new arrivals from a tourism perspective, the government has in no formal sense recognized the economic contributions that Bajans abroad make to Barbados’s economy annually, as a result they have also not recognized the revenue potential from servicing Bajans citizens living abroad via the internet. Visiting Bajan nationals support local bajan communities from coast to coast in many ways that typical tourist do “not” and this key distinction should be recognized.
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Returning Bajans shop at local corner shops all over Barbados and “NOT” just those in the tourism or town districts.
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Returning Bajans entertain themselves at local corner bars, restaurants .. many which are well off the tourism path.
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Returning Bajans shop in Bridgetown as a “must visit each trip” pastime.
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Returning Bajans give cash gifts to family and friends as available via regular wire transfers to provide significant financial support to family members in Barbados.
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Bajans abroad serve as ambassadors for Barbados educating and inviting friends and colleagues to visit Barbados.
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They buy, own and rent real estate in Barbados at significant levels.
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They drive, buy gas and rent cars in Barbados.
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They are increasing staying in hotels, villas versus with family.
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They activity participate in Cropover and Kadooment and join bands and spend money with local street vendors.
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Returning Bajans travel back home for holidays when tourism often drops off during holidays like Christmas, Independence Day, Mother’s Day … and during a few US, UK holidays which we should be directly marketing but that is another issue.
“In essence Bajans abroad contribute significantly ($$$$$) to the economy of Barbados often with little or no say in political matters, and will do more”
We should further harness the economic contribution of Bajans abroad in a government-to-citizen service and support oriented manner to generate much needed government revenues and service our citizens abroad, which to me is a WIN-WIN.
To accomplish this government should implement a range of “NEW” online government services to support the many needs of Barbados citizens that live abroad for a “FEE” which many are willing to pay for, online services like:
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Online Immigration and Passport Services
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Online Land and Real Estate Tax Services
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Online Barbados Government Forms and Request processing
To do this unfortunately “will” require that the current Barbados Government Information Service (GIS) be completely revamped with emphasis on its leadership. The Barbados GIS today does not possess the ICT management and leadership needed to implement such leading edge revenue generating ideas, which by the way should be implemented by local Barbados ICT industry businesses, and not via the “lets run to the UK, US and Canada for ICT consultants to do this” approach that is often used by government via consultancies. We have all the ICT talent in Barbados needed to accomplish this, however ”old school” leadership and lack of cutting edge ICT knowledge is currently plaguing the progress of the Barbados GIS.
In closing the government of Barbados has an opportunity to potentially earn millions of dollars in revenues from the “millions” of Bajans in the diaspora worldwide (US, UK, Europe, Africa) who need many of the online services mentioned. The US, UK and Canada all earn significant revenues annually from E-Government initiatives and so can BARBADOS.
BAJAN PATRIOT – PUTTING BIM FIRST
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