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e-Riga: building e-society Ēriks Zēģelis, Director of Riga City Council Information Technology Centre 04/04/2005

 Project e-Riga  E-society in Riga

Main goals of project e-Riga To improve the quality of service of the city residents and entrepreneurs. To get city residents and entrepreneurs involved in social life and significant decision making. To integrate all the existing RCC information systems and create consumer-focused, easy-to-use electronic services. To improve and streamline processes within Riga municipality, as well as to improve the performance of the RCC staff.

Project e-Riga: plans and perspectives One Stop Shops Electronic services E-inclusion of Riga citizens Restructurisation of Riga City Council EU requirements in the e-government field

 Project e-Riga  E-society in Riga

E-society in Riga. Facts*  56% of Riga citizens are using computer at work/home.  48% ar using internet.  60% thinks, that computers ar easy to use.  34% don’t know how to use it.  32% thinks, that internet is easy to use.  38% don’t know how to use it. *October 2004, SKDS

E-society. Goals and basic principles  IT&T infrastructure will be made accessible and affordable for all Riga residents.  Their IT&T skills and knowledge will be improved.  Development of Internet contents will be boosted, which will raise the interest and motivation of Riga residents for using IT&T both in everyday life and in contacts with the local government.

E-society. E-readiness of Riga residents Technological factor  Computers and Internet are least used in public access points and educational institutions.  Majority of Riga residents are satisfied with the quality of the Internet connection.  Servises in an electronical way.

E-society. E-readiness of Riga residents Economic factor  Furthering competition in the telecommunications sector.  The weak development of e-commerce in the small business sector.  A majority of the society lacks education as to the possibilities of using IT&T in business.  Low incomes of average inhabitan.  Furthering competition in the telecommunications sector.

E-society. E-readiness of Riga residents Social factor  The difference between age groups as to their interest and motivation of using IT&T.  Environmental factor for understanding.  Marketing activities.  Informing the society and explaining the opportunities provided by IT&T.

E-society. E-readiness of Riga residents Education factor  Schoolchildren are active and interested IT&T users.  The high load of both computers and teachers.  The government’s strategy of reducing funding for the LIIS (Latvian Education Informatisation System).

E-society. Achievements of project e-Riga  RCC portal  Youth portal  E-services (6)  One Stop Shop  E-kiosks  The conception of e-society  School internetization (150)  Library internetization (46)  server  Education programs (ECDL, invalids)

Building an e-society in Riga The local government shall work in the following directions:  Systematic and gradual development of IT&T infrastructure in Riga:  to make electronic channels available within the whole territory of Riga;  to ensure the building of electronic channels network throughout all Riga districts.  Support to specific social groups:  to provide socially unprotected groups with access to IT&T;  to help to improve their IT&T knowledge;  to further the development of specific Internet contents;  to inform socially unprotected groups about the opportunities of using IT&T;  to continue the computerisation of schools.

Building an e-society in Riga 3. Furthering of small e-business  to provide support to small companies in using e-commerce and IT&T;  to further the implementation of several innovation projects. 4. Raising population’s interest for the use of municipal services:  to provide a multilateral, convenient and efficient range of e- services;  to inform the society about the opportunity of using municipal services via electronic channels.

Values of the project e-Riga are: Easy Safe Comfortable Electronic Quick