[LINK] Russia and e-government

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

Russian president lays down the law on computers

July 18, 2008 - 11:23AM
http://www.theage.com.au/news/technology/russian-president-lays-down-the-
law-on-computers/2008/07/18/1216163114661.html


Russia's new 42-year-old president showed frustration with government 
officials who do not know how to use a computer and warned today that they 
could soon be out of a job.

"They either should learn or, as they say, goodbye," President Dmitry 
Medvedev said. 

"We don't hire people who can't read and write. Computer literacy today is 
the same."

Since taking office in May, Medvedev has made it his mission to modernise 
Russia and fight pervasive corruption.

He said today that, if the government carried out more of its work online, 
it would increase transparency and make corruption more difficult to hide.

But Medvedev said there had been no real progress toward putting 
documents, government purchase orders or the results of government-funded 
research online, despite years of talk about establishing an "electronic 
government." 

He blamed the foot-dragging on poor computer skills.

"Civil servants who don't have elementary computer skills cannot work 
effectively," he said during a nationally televised meeting with federal 
and regional officials in the northwestern city of Petrozavodsk.

Computer literacy should be part of job evaluations, Medvedev said.

For the government's part, he said, it should help increase internet 
access and possibly compensate students for their internet use.

Medvedev often makes a point of noting his use of the internet. In an 
interview with the magazine Itogi before his election in March, he said he 
even watches the television news online.

Internet penetration in Russia is among the lowest in Europe, with only 12 
per cent of people age 15 or older online, according to a 2007 study by 
internet research company comScore.

But Russia also has the fastest growing internet population in Europe, the 
study showed.

--
Cheers people
Stephen Loosley
Victoria Australia