'Govt still lags in using email to communicate'

Communicating via email in the civil service is still in its infancy stage, even though the government has long touted its benefits.

A civil servant, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that if more civil servants used email to communicate, not only would it be quicker, but it would accelerate the decision-making processes.

The government officer said there were a number of reasons why the shift to email had not been fully embraced by all in the government.

"These reasons mean that we continue to use the old and tested methods," he said.

The civil servant noted the recent findings of the CSPS Strategy and Policy Journal published by the Centre for Strategic and Policy Studies.

"The report says that there is a clear culture of avoiding risks and a lack of accountability or words to that effect," said the officer.

The report also observed that there were "no apparent penalties for failures to achieve objectives," which the officer feels compounds the failure to use emails.

"What are the incentives for civil servants to use emails if it means that a wrong decision on our part can be tracked back to us?" said the officer rhetorically.

The government officer added that at times "the government email system can lag, and despite (being) sent in the morning, sometimes emails will only reach recipients hours later in the afternoon".

"If it's that slow, it's even quicker to send messages via a clerk to the office you are sending the message to."

"It is one of the reasons why offices still continue to use fax machines, when in truth, faxes are becoming even more obsolete as signatory approvals are becoming a thing of the past," he added.

In the private sector, emails are already being used as a quick means of communicating and tracking of accountability.

"I use my emails far more often than I did before when I was working in the government," said a Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP) employee, who only wished to be known as Robert.

"Previously when I was with the civil service, I found that I would use my handphone far more often than even my office phone," said the former government officer.

The father of two added that the difference in culture at his previous ministry and those that find themselves working with BSP are vastly different.

"There are government officers who deal with us regularly and they have a very different grasp on using emails," he said.

Robert added that during his tenure as a government officer, other areas in the government were geared more towards using paper memos and letters.

"There is an established procedure for documenting and communicating decisions, but with public expectations rising, should there be a new focus on communicating quickly and efficiently, and being transparent too," he said.

An entrepreneur is hoping that the introduction of push email to smartphones or portable devices could have a profound impact on the way government personnel communicate.

"If the BlackBerry Service becomes available here, then the government staff who use their phones frequently do not have any real excuse," said Mohammed Anwar.

He said that the long time it takes to get the business licence to start a business is one example where things could be done more quickly.

"There are already several government agencies involved to get the rampaian in order, and it's always the same, business people need to push, push and push, to get them to respond with the paperwork."

"The answers I get from the authorities is that they are always waiting for replies from one agency or the other, and sometimes when I follow up with the respective agency, they say the same of the other agencies," added Mohd Anwar.

"If emails were used, someone reviewing can identify where the delay is," he said.

However, he said that it all boils down to the civil servants . "Otherwise we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but we will never move towards it," he said.

The Brunei Times