E-government in support of the institutions of democracy and justice in Pacific Island states

Abstract

A critical aspect of e-government is how countries use ICT to support the institutions of democracy and the rule of law to facilitate citizens’ access to information about these institutions. This chapter discusses how Pacific Island countries (PICs) are applying ICT to further this goal, with the support of regional organizations and development partners. It outlines how PICs are using e-government applications to improve their parliamentary process and provide citizens with information about parliament and the legislative process and how Pacific parliaments are using the web to communicate this information. The chapter discusses the use of ICT in the electoral process and the benefits and challenges these new technologies present. The contribution of justice information systems and the critical role of PacLII in providing access to information about legislation and court records in Pacific Island states are also discussed. Finally, the importance of government record-keeping and how ICT is used to ensure access to historic and current records is considered. The chapter explores some of the organizations and strategies helping to promote the use of ICT in democratic processes and concludes that the collaborative, knowledge sharing model that pervades this sector is an effective and sustainable model of e-government for development in the Pacific.