DigiGov is a web-based platform that aims to digitize 154 government services to improve the ease and convenience of accessing services within the Public Sector. It is an ongoing project sponsored by the Government of Saint Lucia, through the Department of the Public Service to enhance service delivery to citizens, businesses, visitors, and investors. Marlon Narcisse, the Director of Public Sector Modernization, has spearheaded the recent training for the Registry of Companies and Intellectual Property (ROCIP), whose services will soon be piloted on the DigiGov platform.
“Right now we have over thirty services on the platform and with onboarding of the Registry of Companies and Intellectual Property (ROCIP) we will then be implementing seven pilot services and then moving onto another twenty-five later on in the year. Probably by the end of March.”
Over 140 individuals from legal and accounting firms as well as agents who utilize ROCIP’s services participated in a virtual training program organized by the Department of Public Sector Modernization and the Attorney Generals Chambers in preparedness for the implementation of ROCIP’s services onto the DigiGov platform. Juliana Alfred is the Permanent Secretary in the Attorney General’s Chambers.
“The Registry of Companies is one of the agencies that is part of AG’s Chambers which will be benefiting from this process. The Registry of Companies for example undertakes name searches, company name registration, filing of returns, etc.”
“So the next step is for us to then launch the services in a pilot phase focusing on registration of a business, searches for a business, etc. So that would allow us to really understand what the requirements are for the users and really take the next steps towards the post-registration services which is where the meat of the matter really is.” Marlon Narcisse
Alfred is optimistic that the imminent transition to the DigiGov platform will create increased efficiency and ease of doing business in the dispensing of ROCIP’s services.
“Come February at least seven of these services will be going live. So, practitioners who use the services of the registry of companies will be able to use the services from the comfort of their homes or their offices. We are hoping that later in the year the other services such as the filing of annual returns will also be live.”
The Director of Public Sector Modernization noted that the training focused on one of the most important and powerful aspects of the DigiGov platform, that of identity management.
“So identity management is really the holy grail of digital transformation. You must be able to identify your stakeholders, your users as they come to utilize your system. The transport department was our proof of concept for digital identity management. We’ve now completed that analysis, the assessment and so we’re taking the next step toward the development of a National Authentication Framework, which is the Government’s identity management tool to be able to identify its users of the system whether it’s a person or a business we will have that ability to identify all users on the system.”
To access the numerous services offered under the DigiGov platform visit digigov.govt.lc.