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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents...... 2

Acknowledgements ...... 3

INTRODUCTION ...... 4

Background ...... 4

Support to ICT Strategic Planning in the Caribbean Parliaments...... 4

Strategic planning methodology ...... 5

Technical Assistance Missions to the Parliament of ...... 6

Methods and techniques ...... 6

About this ICT strategic plan ...... 6

THE ICT STRATEGIC PLAN ...... 7

Overview ...... 7

Vision statement for ICT in the Parliament ...... 7

ICT Strategic Goals and Objectives ...... 8

Goals ...... 8

Objectives ...... 9

IMPLEMENTATION ROADMAP ...... 12

Collaboration framework ...... 12

Collaboration matrix ...... 13

MOVING FORWARD ...... 18

CONCLUDING REMARKS ...... 19

APPENDICES ...... 20

1. Proposed Terms of Reference for the ICT planning and coordination (Technical working group) for the Parliament ..... 20

2. Terms of reference of second technical mission to the ...... 22

3. Checklist for parliamentary websites based on the IPU Guidelines for Parliamentary Websites ...... 24

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The Mission team from the Global Centre for ICT and the Caribbean Centre for Development Administration (CARICAD) are pleased to acknowledge the high levels of cooperation and assistance received from parliamentary and other officials during the second mission to Grenada. The commitment and support for the mission that was evident at all levels of parliamentary leadership were demonstrated by the excellent cooperation we received from all staff at the Offices of the Houses of Parliament (Parliament Office).

The mission team is grateful for the participation and inputs by the representatives of ministries and departments of Government. We also acknowledge the assistance provided by Mr. George Grant in his capacity as a concerned private citizen of Grenada.

The team fully recognized the high level of motivation and dedication among the leadership and staff of the Parliament and the external stakeholders in Grenada. We appreciate their inputs during the discussions on the potential for the greater use of use of ICT in the Parliament.

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INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND

In recent years, many parliaments have embarked on efforts to introduce new Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to enhance parliamentary processes. There have been mixed results. While some have achieved a high level of success in their use of technology to manage documents, provide research services to Members, maintain informative and timely websites, and communicate with citizens, many others struggle in their ability to support these functions through the use of ICT. The World e-Parliament Report1 for 2010 computed e-Parliament scores for respondents to its 2009 survey of ICT in . The ratings ranged from 14 to 83 out of a possible 100.

In addition, the World e-Parliament Reports of both 2008 and 2010 underlined the fact that the strengthening of parliaments as transparent, accountable and representative institutions through the introduction and greater use of ICT is a major undertaking. The success of this endeavor greatly depends on the critical engagement of the parliamentary leadership supported by Members of Parliament, Secretaries General, Clerks of Parliament, ICT Directors, Information Services Directors, relevant senior officials and parliamentary staff. A clear and concise vision statement emerging from this collaborative engagement is necessary to align the services provided by ICT to the highest goals of the institution.

One of the primary tools for managers to move from a vision for ICT to implementation is the ICT strategic planning process, which links the vision to the goals and objectives of the programs, projects, proposals, tasks and activities of Members and other stakeholders. It assesses feasibility and cost and outlines plans, schedules and resource requirements. The ICT strategic planning process enables a parliament to establish priorities and develop a rational basis for allocating resources. It also ensures that trade-offs and compromises among competing needs can be made, taking into account the probable consequences of those decisions.

SUPPORT TO ICT STRATEGIC PLANNING IN THE CARIBBEAN PARLIAMENTS

The project, “Support to ICT Strategic Planning in the Parliaments of the Caribbean,” funded by the European Union, aims to promote transparency, accountability, democratic participation and good governance in the Caribbean by empowering the parliaments of the Region to better fulfill their democratic functions and contribute to their institutional strengthening through ICT. Technical assistance is being provided for the development of strategic plans for ICT in the 16 beneficiary Caribbean parliaments2 under the project. In summary, the project’s specific objectives are to:

§ Assist parliaments in the establishment of a vision for ICT; § Assist parliaments in the development of a strategic plan for ICT; § Support parliaments in preparing a development program document for ICT based on the strategic plan; § Support the establishment of a “Community of Practice of ICT Strategic Planners in Parliament” to sustain the strategic planning activities and capacity within the parliaments.

The project is implemented by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) through the Global Centre for ICT in Parliament, in partnership with the Caribbean Centre for Development Administration (CARICAD).

1 The World e-Parliament Reports are prepared by the Global Centre for ICT in Parliament and released by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the Inter-Parliamentary Union. See http://www.ictparliament.org/wepr2010.

2 Parliaments of Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.

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STRATEGIC PLANNING METHODOLOGY

The Global Centre for ICT in Parliament has developed a methodology for parliamentary ICT strategic planning. It was introduced to the representatives of Caribbean parliaments at a regional workshop in Barbados in September 2010. This workshop was co-organized by the Global Centre and CARICAD under the framework of a European Union funded project. Twelve of sixteen invited 16 countries participated. Participants included Clerks/Secretaries General, ICT directors and IT staff from parliaments in the region.

The methodology, illustrated below, is used as the basis for the strategic planning process that takes place as part of the project at each of the parliaments during two technical assistance missions.

The figure above illustrates that there are four stages in the strategic planning process: assessing the present state of ICT plus internal and external factors; understanding future ambitions, including visions and strategic goals for ICT; assessing the challenges through a gap analysis; and formulating a strategy that addresses the challenges through recommendations and actions, including the allocation of management responsibilities and resources.

The two technical assistance missions are carried out by the Global Centre for ICT in Parliament and CARICAD with the participation of IT experts from other parliaments. The first mission covers the first two stages of the process by assessing the present state of ICT and establishing a preliminarily understanding of the future ambitions through interviews with the parliamentary leadership, among other activities. Also during this stage, both the internal and external trends are examined and summarized. This includes political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental3 factors where applicable and relevant. The gap analysis (stage three) is carried out in-between missions, when the information gathered is analyzed.

During the second mission the ICT strategy is developed together with the leadership and senior staff of the parliament, and where applicable external stakeholders e.g. from government institutions. The resulting ICT strategic documentation

3 Referred to as a PESTLE analysis.

5 includes: 1) a vision for ICT; 2) specific strategic goals and objectives; and 3) a (first draft) ICT development program / implementation roadmap for the parliament. The latter is mostly a draft as the ICT development program / Implementation roadmap will have to be further refined, evaluated and re-adjusted.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE MISSIONS TO THE PARLIAMENT OF GRENADA

The first technical assistance mission to the parliament of Grenada was undertaken from November 14 to 18, 2011; the second from April 23 to 27, 2012. Franklyn Michael and John MacDonald conducted the first mission; they were joined by Carlos Santoro Magno Cataldi for the second mission.

METHODS AND TECHNIQUES

For the first mission, in order to gather structured information to develop a clear understanding of existing ICT infrastructure, services and processes available in each functional area, the team used the following methods and techniques prior to, during and after the mission:

§ Desk research: gathering data and information about the , such as the Constitution, Standing Orders, organic laws and membership, reading of available studies and reports, and analysis of the Parliament’s website; § Interviews: during the five working days at the Parliament the mission held a series of meetings with its leadership and service heads; § Questionnaires: in order to have a consistent overview of ICT equipment and solutions available, the mission submitted questionnaires to the respective service heads (ICT infrastructure, website, library and documentation, transcription of proceedings, etc.) and assisted in their completion for further analysis; § Visits to buildings and offices: to assess the status of technologies and processes, the team visited physical areas of the Parliament to verify the status of ICT deployment and integration in parliamentary processes (server room(s), plenary, Hansard offices, etc.) The outcome of the first mission was a draft Assessment Report that contained the main observations made by the mission team in terms of the state of ICT in the Parliament. During the second mission discussions were held with stakeholders, including external ones from the Government services providing ICT support to the Parliament, to: 1) review the draft Assessment report; 2) to formulate a vision statement; 3) set ICT strategic objectives; and 4) develop implementation roadmaps for the strategic objectives. The outcome of the second mission is a reviewed Assessment Report and the ICT Strategic Plan for the Parliament of Grenada (this document).

ABOUT THIS ICT STRATEGIC PLAN

This ICT strategic plan (and its action plan / roadmap) is not the Assessment Report – which is available as a separate document. This Plan is divided into three main parts. Part 1 describes the overall ICT Strategic Plan together with its main elements i.e. the vision statement, the goals and objectives – as they were agreed during the workshops of the second mission. Part 2 outlines a recommended roadmap for implementation, with the draft action plan. Finally Part 3 discusses concluding recommendations including critical conditions and enablers for successful implementation.

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THE ICT STRATEGIC PLAN

OVERVIEW

This Strategic Plan focuses on the greater use of ICT in the Parliament of Grenada. It does not address all of the institutional development issues that are also important for the Parliament – its main focus is on ICT. However because of the all- pervasive nature of modern technology there may also be elements that are institutional and developmental. This ICT Strategic Plan assumes a planning horizon of three years, and is ideally subject to annual revision and updating.

The Plan has three core elements:

(1) Vision Statement for ICT (2) Strategic Goals for ICT (3) Strategic Objectives for ICT

The Implementation Roadmap and related Action Plan are presented (and are subject to regular review and adjustment)

VISION STATEMENT FOR ICT IN THE PARLIAMENT

The vision statement for ICT describes the organization at the highest level of performance it aims to achieve by the greater use of ICT. The ICT vision for the Parliament of Grenada is:

• What the Parliament of Grenada aspires to be or become through the greater use of ICT; • An affirmation in the present of a realistic, credible, attractive future; • A long-term view (for this Plan at least three years); • An expression that is clear, concise and memorable.

The following vision statement for ICT has been developed by the internal stakeholders of the Parliament including its presiding officers: the President of the , the Clerk (Ag.) and senior staff; the shared vision statement for ICT is as follows:

“The Parliament of Grenada, in promoting good Governance, applies modern information and communication technology that is appropriate and effective, that ensures the efficient delivery of services to parliamentarians and enables citizen engagement and participation in the parliamentary process”

The vision statement is most useful when converted into measurable ICT strategic goals and objectives. In order to do this as a first step, the vision statement was closely examined to identify the core areas that will be served by the wider use of ICT within the Parliament. Overall success in these identified areas will mean achievement of the vision statement. These areas, referred to as the “Key Result Areas (KRAs)” are: 1) Service to parliamentarians; 2) Service to the public 3) Management of ICTs 4) Capacity Development

1. Service to parliamentarians = ensuring efficient, timely and consistently professional service to members 2. Service to the public= creating and maintaining opportunities for consistent communication and interaction with citizens and ability to respond to information and service needs 3. Management of ICTs = using ICT architecture , infrastructure and systems for accurate, and efficient business processes 4. Capacity Development: working to improvement the ability of the office to achieve its goals and deliver its mandated services and to sustain that ability in into the future

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Service to parliamentarians: The primary internal stakeholders are the Members and Senators of the Parliament, in that they are served in accordance with agreed stipulated rules and conventions (e.g. Standing Orders etc) they have deadlines, and require complete and accurate information and documentation about past, ongoing and planned parliamentary activity.

Service to citizens: where the audiences are primarily external i.e. the public and the inter-parliament community including other regional parliaments and also the Grenadian diaspora. As was expressed by the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House the Parliament and the Clerk (Ag.) the parliament wants to better engage its citizens in terms of informing them of ongoing parliamentary activity, and better communicate which laws and resolutions have been passed in the Parliament. Also communication would need to include a two-way avenue where citizens can more easily reach the Parliament. Engagement can possibly also extend – if managed properly - to the soliciting of the opinions and views of citizens for particular bills that are proposed, as part of parliament consultations.

Management of ICTs: includes all daily work processes that take place within the Parliament of Grenada: capturing and recording meetings and plenary sessions of the Parliament; producing and publishing the Hansard and related documents; registering and archiving these documents; and reproducing, disseminating and communicating these to internal stakeholders (Members, Senators and Committees) and external stakeholders (public, media, parliament archive and library) audiences. Internal processes also include daily finance, human resources and administrative work.

Capacity Development: focuses on establishing a logical and systematic process to enable the parliament to achieve its goals and deliver identified services over time at a consistently high level by relying on its own resources.

ICT STRATEGIC GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

GOALS

The Assessment Report identified several “priority initiatives” that the Parliament had agreed that needed to be reflected in the ICT Strategic Plan. In developing the ICT strategic goals, the relationship between the priority initiatives and the vision statement was reviewed. To do this the linkage was discussed during workshop proceedings between the KRAs and the priority initiatives. The linkage between the KRAs and the priority initiatives provided in the Assessment Report was verified.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN KEY RESULT AREAS ANS PRIORITY INTIATIVES

# Key Result Areas Priority Initiative (Suggested in Assessment Report)

1 Service to Website development, Hansard process improvement; e-mail and document Parliamentarians management services provisioning; Librarian/Researcher capacity increase

2 Service to the public Website development; Librarian/Researcher capacity increase; Document Management services; Broadcasting – Gonsin; digital audio recordings management

3 Management of ICT Website development (now) and (later) Document Management, and Broadcasting – Gonsin; digital audio recordings management

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# Key Result Areas Priority Initiative (Suggested in Assessment Report)

4 Capacity Development Staff capacity - 4 positions

Training – technical and process skills, (Change Management; BPR) orientation - members

Equipment – physical supplies and software - library and other areas

- e mail service

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR ICT

Recognizing that the parliament of Grenada is in an unusual situation in which a new parliament complex is will soon be constructed and that the parliament chamber is not a dedicated facility for parliament the decision was taken to focus on a small number of Goals and Objectives upon which action can be taken in the short-term 2- 3 years. It is realized that the circumstances will change dramatically when the new parliament complex is commissioned.

OBJECTIVES

ICT strategic objectives are the next step in strategic planning, where objectives should be SMART (i.e. specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time bound), and are targets that when accomplished together or in sequence should enable the Parliament to achieve the ICT strategic goals. When objectives are not expressed in SMART terms it is difficult to evaluate whether the Parliament is achieving its goals and thereby its ICT vision. An overview is provided of each ICT strategic goal and the ICT strategic objectives that were formulated for the Parliament.

GOALS OBJECTIVES

Goal 1.1: To enhance the representational role of − To build the skills of staff of the Office of the Houses of parliamentarians through the use of technology-enabled Parliament to manage the content of the Parliament’s methods to improve communication and interaction with website (mid. 2012 – 31 January 2013) their constituents − To launch a basic parliament website at www.parliament.gov.gd (mid. 2012 – 31 March 2013)

− To incrementally improve the parliamentary website, fully in line with IPU guidelines (starting 31 March 2013)

− To use standardized communication channels (e.g. official email addresses) for communication between members of parliament and their constituents (date tbd – 31 March 2013)

− To establish a parliamentary research capacity to assist

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GOALS OBJECTIVES

members in the performance of their representational activities

Goal 1.2: To use technology to enhance the legislative role − To acquire, store and distribute core parliamentary of parliamentarians by providing information and documents (agenda, minutes, draft bills, amendments documentation in a more timely and efficient manner and resolutions) in electronic form

− To acquire other tabled documents (e.g. reports from statutory bodies) in electronic form

Goal 1.3: To introduce and maintain a programme of − To provide parliamentarians with information and continuous orientation in the use of ICT guidelines for the optimal use of available ICTs

− To propose revision of the Standing Orders to include guidelines for the use of technology in Parliament

Goal 2.1: To provide timely and accurate information about − To design and implement awareness and outreach the parliamentary process and activities of Parliament in a programmes for specifically identified persons and variety of readily accessible channels and formats, suitable groups (including school age children, young persons, to the needs of all people with special needs, and the Diaspora) (To commence January 2014)

− To make parliamentary documents available through

the website

Goal 2.2: To create and maintain opportunities for the − To use the parliamentary website to encourage and engagement of citizens in the work of the Parliament facilitate public engagement with the work of Parliament

− To transmit live parliamentary proceedings in both audio and video formats through the website (date: by 31 December 2015)

Goal 3.1: Develop and maintain ICT capacity and resources − Coordinate the activities specified in the ICT Strategic that will effectively support the completion of the ICT Plan Strategic Plan for the Parliament and its implementation − Establish procedures for systematically assessing the content of the website (starting Jan 2013)

− To move from analogue to an entirely digital workflow for the capture, storage and distribution of audio and video of parliamentary proceedings

− Participate actively in regional parliamentary entities and networks, share experiences and good practices and learn from other parliaments – starting in June 10

GOALS OBJECTIVES

2012

Goal 4.1: Develop and continuously improve the skills of − To provide intensive short-term training in identified parliamentary staff to carry out technology-based functions areas (including word processing, website maintenance)

− To develop a training and technical support programme to build capacity in the use of technologies that will be used in the new parliament building

− To adopt a change management process that optimizes the opportunities for enhancing performance prior to and after commissioning of the new parliament building.

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IMPLEMENTATION ROADMAP

The ICT vision, strategic goals and objectives are expressions of the intention to achieve certain results. The mere statement of such intentions is not enough to achieve success. It requires effective leadership, management, teamwork, networking and individual effort supported by adequate human and physical resources and equipment. In addition it also requires a clear implementation road map and action plan.

The mission team discussed and proposed a strategic focus for implementation of the strategic plan. That focus is considered an Implementation Roadmap for the parliamentary leadership. The Mission team also drew attention to other factors that would require attention to increase the chances of successful implementation:

• Accepting ownership by the leadership of parliament;

• Embracing and establishing the Strategic Planning process as a planning tool;

• Deciding on the nature and confirming the composition of the Working Group;

• Committing to completing and implementing an Action Plan;

• Changing approaches if necessary as time passes;

• Being consistent with reviews, assessments and Progress Reports;

• Making timely submissions – the budget call; opportunities to receive aid;

• Learning from the experience in all phases: Planning , Implementation and Monitoring;

• Learning from the experiences of other parliaments;

• Networking with other parliaments in the Caribbean Region and beyond.

COLLABORATION FRAMEWORK

The Parliament of Grenada – as assessed by the mission team (see Assessment Report) - does not have the level of specialist internal capacity and skills in ICT that is required for the successful implementation of the ICT strategic plan. The leadership of the parliament fully recognizes this and that the continuous technical assistance of several agencies will be required in the process. There was general agreement that implementation will be based on a collaborative approach that will be best undertaken by a Working Group for ICT. This is now a familiar concept that has been promoted under the ICT in parliament project. In keeping with that approach a framework for collaboration was developed based on discussions with stakeholders.

• The Ministry with responsibility for technology • Technology Centre (ICT Centre) of Grenada; • The Government Information Service • The Ministry of Finance (MoF)

These agencies have been designated as ‘Strategic Partners’ and they have been identified as potential members the mentioned of the Technical Working Group (TWG). The TWG will operate some degree of formality by developing Terms of Reference (TORs). A recommended template the TWG is provided by the mission team in appendix 1.

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In addition the Parliament of Grenada can greatly benefit from its participation and exchange of experiences through the available e-Parliament related regional knowledge networks including the Exchange Network of Parliaments of Latin America and the Caribbean (ENPLAC; RIPALC in Spanish; www.ripalc.org). Engagement with this network and other parliaments in the region can be facilitated through CARICAD and the Global Centre for ICT in Parliament.

COLLABORATION MATRIX

The Strategic Partners were consulted about their possible involvement and contribution for the realization of the ICT strategic goals during the next three years. The following collaboration matrix was developed. This matrix represents a summary of the discussions and will need to be reviewed by stakeholders. This review could be one of the first items to be discussed by the new TWG. Also it should be noted that the collaboration matrix will never be static, as external circumstances will change and support from the Strategic Partners will increase, decrease, intensify etc. Hence the TWG, as owner of the ICT strategic planning process should embrace the plan. The collaboration matrix will need to be regularly reviewed and assessed. During the limited time available for the second mission, some details could not be included in the matrix: some time-frames could not be set, as they need further consultation between the parliament and the agencies; functions will also have to be discussed and timeframes will need to be determined.

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COLLABORATION MATRIX OF PRIORITY PROJECTS

Objectives Opportunities / Challenges Agencies / functions Possible Project/action Time frame

Build staff capacity for Positive Organizational Parliament, ICT Centre • Define basic requirements skills for publishing and the To be determined in website culture / leadership staff responsibility consultation with • Plan and implement the training endorsement partnering agencies (TWG)

Launch a basic • Prototype created Parliament, ICT Centre • Perform a preliminary gap analysis (IPU), redesign (if To be determined in parliament website parliament.gov.gd, needed) and implement consultation with includes CMS • Plan to incorporate scanned documents partnering agencies (TWG) • DMS, document scanner needed • MoF commitment Improve the Available IPU guidelines Parliament, ICT Centre • Perform a gap analysis regarding IPU guidelines To be determined in parliamentary checklist • Plan for the future of the website (DMS, WMS, consultation with website- IPU application systems and DBs, docs for scanning with partnering agencies guidelines metadata and formats, etc) (TWG) Use standardized Leadership endorsement / Parliament, ICT Centre • Define guidelines for using the official e-mail system To be determined in communication change management needed • Implement and disseminate consultation with channels / user awareness partnering agencies (TWG) Establish a Leadership endorsement / Parliament, MoF • Prepare the TOR and submit To be determined in parliamentary change management needed • Incorporate staff: search and selection, hiring, consultation with research capacity / user awareness (MPs who workplace, basic training (new building) partnering agencies need to realize the benefits (TWG) of these services) Receive and manage Laws of Grenada are online / Parliament, Government • Research on a document management system (DMS) To be determined in documents in Government Printing Office Printing Office • Establish the infrastructure for operating consultation with electronic form preference for hard copy / • Train and disseminate partnering agencies Standing Orders • Change procedures (TWG) Provide Members all have iPads / Parliament, ICT Centre, • Define the basic requirements To be determined in parliamentarians with leadership endorsement / Global Centre for ICT in • Provide documented guidelines consultation with information and guidance needed / Parliament / ENPLAC- • Provide training (group, person to person, remotely, etc) partnering agencies guidelines for the parliaments from the region (TWG) 14

Objectives Opportunities / Challenges Agencies / functions Possible Project/action Time frame optimal use of who did the same (e.g. Saint RIPALC available ICTs Lucia and TT)

Staff establishment Public sector staff freeze / Parliament, MoF • Define requirements To be determined in Staffing audit / Business case • Propose the increase of staff based on requirements consultation with partnering agencies relating to needs of the new • Plan for the new building complex (search and selection, (TWG) parliament hiring or reallocating, workspaces, basic training) Propose revision of Examples by other Parliament, Global • Research other parliaments and institutions To be determined in the Standing Orders parliaments from the region Centre for ICT in • Develop a document with the proposed changes and consultation with to include guidelines Parliament, ENPLAC- submit for approval partnering agencies for the use of RIPALC (TWG) technology in Parliament

Design and Examples by other Parliament, Global • Establish special program for selected groups like To be determined in implement awareness parliaments from the region, Centre for ICT in schools, Youngers and Seniors, people with special consultation with and outreach and also Caribbean public Parliament, ENPLAC- needs, citizens visitation, etc. partnering agencies programmes sector experiences RIPALC, CARICAD (TWG) • Disclosure on radio, TV and website during and after the broadcasts of the sessions

Make parliamentary MoF policy to distribute Parliament, MoF, ICT • Search and define a DMS for parliament, connected with To be determined in documents available electronic documents / Need Centre the website consultation with through the website research capability / partnering agencies • Establish the infrastructure, define the guidelines and establish archive, scanning (TWG) implement old documents etc • Plan and training for using (including the old documents)

Use the parliamentary Multi-channel outreach Parliament, Global • Search websites of parliaments and other institutions To be determined in website to encourage possible (incl. talk radio) / Centre for ICT in consultation with • Provide information about the activities of parliament and facilitate public younger audiences Parliament, ENPLAC- partnering agencies (TWG) including Agendas, Bills, Hansard and info by Members engagement with the increasingly engage in social RIPALC work of Parliament media and networking / • Official e-mail for Members examples by other • implement facilities for the information exchange parliaments in the region • Contact Us

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Objectives Opportunities / Challenges Agencies / functions Possible Project/action Time frame

• Suggestions from citizens • Public opinion polls • Integration with social networks (Facebook, Youtube, etc.)

Transmit live • Existing Grenada Parliament, local • Research other parliaments and institutions To be determined in parliamentary Broadcast service broadcasting agencies, consultation with • Identify and procure the equipment, components proceedings in both ICT Centre partnering agencies • LIME to introduce 4G and software required in accordance with existing rules audio and video (TWG) capability formats through the • Study and propose alternative delivery channels such as website • Community access mobile phones, iPads, etc. programme • Wireless hotspot rollout • CKLN schools programme

Coordinate the Leadership engagement and Parliament, ICT Centre, • Establish the Technical Working Group TWG To be determined in activities specified in involvement; technical MoF consultation with • Detail the ICT Strategic Planning for the parliament, the ICT Strategic Plan planning capacity partnering agencies assigning projects, responsibility, costs, priorities and (TWG) dates • Establish the method of work, schedule of meetings for evaluation and the format for reporting results

Establish procedures Availability of IPU guidelines Parliament • Define guidelines and rules To be determined in for systematically checklist (appendix 3) consultation with • Establish aid tools (e.g. usage statistics) assessing the content partnering agencies of the website • Assign responsibilities to designated personnel and (TWG) training

To move from Experiences from other Parliament, ICT Centre, • Search and seek help in other parliaments To be determined in analogue to an parliaments in the region; ENPLAC-RIPALC consultation with • Define the requirements and the system architecture entirely digital regional knowledge partnering agencies (Databases of Laws, News on Parliament, Speeches, workflow for the networking through ENPLAC (TWG) Hansards, Bill Tracking, Documents Management and capture, storage and and RIPALC Workflow, Bio Data on the Members, Agendas, etc.) distribution of audio and video of • Plan the change parliamentary • Implement the infrastructure (equipment, components, 16

Objectives Opportunities / Challenges Agencies / functions Possible Project/action Time frame proceedings software and applications) • Provide training and implement

Participate actively in Available regional knowledge Parliament, ENPLAC- • Research established networks and organizations To be determined in regional networks and intermediation RIPALC, CPA, CARICAD, (ENPALC, Global Centre RIPALC, CPA, etc.), defining staff consultation with parliamentary entities through CARICAD and Global Global Centre and/or members for official interface with them partnering agencies and networks Centre for ICT in Parliament (TWG) • Plan programs for Member visits to other parliaments in the region

Develop a training Possible regional staff Parliament, ICT Centre • Develop a continuous Training Plan based on Strategic To be determined in and technical support exchange opportunities; ICT Plan consultation with programme to build Centre services partnering agencies • Harmonize with the other Agencies capacity in the use of (TWG) technologies that will • Get help from other countries and relevant organizations be used in the new parliament building

Adopt a change Looking at experiences of Parliament, ENPLAC- • Complete a Business Case for: To be determined in management process other parliaments in the RIPALC consultation with • New organizational structure that optimizes the region that moved location / partnering agencies (TWG) opportunities for building (for example the • New processes and work routines (Administrative; enhancing Parliament of Trinidad and Regulatory) performance prior to Tobago that recently • New ICT systems and after relocated) commissioning of the • New structure and composition of administrative new parliament staff building • New work spaces and layouts • (Members Offices, Staff Offices, Members Lounge, Public Areas, Visual Programming and Signaling, Security Areas, etc.) • New Equipment, installations and facilities • Consider accessibility

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MOVING FORWARD

The mission team held concluding discussions with the parliamentary leadership at the end of the mission. The focus of those discussions was to have a clear understanding that a lot of follow-up work would have to be done by Grenadian officials after departure of the mission team. In that regard the mission team provided and discussed the suggestions shown below.

1. Debriefing with President and Speaker – The mission team suggested that the Clerk of Parliament (ag) should hold in-depth discussions with the President and the Speaker to review the outputs and recommendations of the project and agree a way forward

2. Briefing for Prime Minister as Minister with responsibility for technology – President, Speaker and Clerk - if possible - The mission team thought it was useful that the prime Minister of Grenada also has portfolio responsibility for technology. It was suggested that the leadership of parliament brief the Prime Minister with a view to getting the support of the Cabinet for the suggested changes especially those that are likely to have implications for the budget.

3. Speaker to report to parliament – The Speaker confirmed his intention to report to parliament on the project in line with the recommendations of the team

4. Submission of Cabinet Paper and info for SMB – Grenada has a well-established framework for the coordination of cross-agency activities in the public sector. It is called the Senior Management Board (SMB). It comprises Permanent Secretaries of Ministries and other Heads of agencies. The mission team recommended that a report be provided to the SMB with a request for the relevant support to implement recommendations at the appropriate time.

5. Work with to complete the Action Plan Matrix – As has been the case with several other countries the mission team sees the need for coordinated action with agencies outside of parliament to take the recommendations forward. The team identified completion of the Action Plan as a priority for such coordinated action.

6. Follow up meetings with ICT Unit to develop a road map for the website – It was agreed that action could continue almost immediately on the website based on the prototype that Mr. Hugh Whyte had developed. It was recognized that the prototype was developed

7. Focus on quick-win projects, e.g. website, scanning old records, training of staff for website, training of staff in advanced applications of Microsoft Word

8. Round-table with Department of Public Administration and Chief Budget Officer to make case for HR Audit of Office

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CONCLUDING REMARKS

As can be concluded from the preceding sections, it is absolutely critical for the Parliament to form the Technical Working Group for ICT Development and Coordination. It is this Group that will bring together stakeholders that the Parliament needs (due to the low internal IT implementation capacity) to implement the ICT strategic plan. For reference in appendix 1 a terms of reference is provided of this Group.

This Working Group will as one of its first actions need to take ownership of this ICT Strategic Plan, review it and where applicable complete it and make adjustments to it. This plan is developed for the Parliament of Grenada and once handed over by the EU Project to the Parliament the local team can review and re-author it as it sees fit and applicable.

The Global Centre for ICT in Parliament and CARICAD invite the Parliament of Grenada to approach any queries it may have after the handover of this Strategic Plan, be it requests for guidance on how to further develop certain actions listed in the Action Plan or this Strategic Plan, or to obtain further information, references, knowledge, information products on trends, innovations and solutions in the e-Parliament domain.

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APPENDICES

1. PROPOSED TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE ICT PLANNING AND COORDINATION (TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP) FOR THE PARLIAMENT

The purpose of the Working Group for ICT Planning and Coordination (Working Group) is to ensure a high level of communication, coordination, consultative decision-making in the management of ICT in the Parliament. The implementation of ICT in parliaments is often subject to conflicting mandates and priorities, which can lead to fragmentation of effort, inefficient practices, poor allocation of resources, and ultimately to user dissatisfaction with services. The role of the Working Group is to address these problems through its organization and its activities.

The Clerk has final responsibility for decisions regarding ICT, with the concurrence of the political leadership of the parliament, but those decisions should be based on a consultative process. The values of openness and transparency, as well as the principles of good management, require procedures that encourage stakeholders and users to be engaged in this process. The Working Group can support these goals by enabling users and stakeholders to propose ideas for the use of ICT and to be informed as decisions are made and plans and schedules are established.

Organization

The Working Group for ICT carries out its mandate partly through good organization. It should be formally established by the Speaker of the House and / or Senate President and chaired by the Clerk. It should be composed of the Heads of all departments of the Office of Parliament, or their representatives, and other major stakeholders as determined by the Clerk.

Because of the responsibility of the Clerk for the efficient operations of the whole of parliament’s administration, it is vital for this official plays a major role in the management of ICT. The various departments under the supervision of the Clerk may have diverging objectives, and the Clerk must ensure coherence, cooperation and the resolution of competing goals. The Clerk also bears special responsibility for communicating ICT plans and activities to the leaders and members of parliament, and for ensuring that their most important requirements for technology are met.

The Working Group is based on support from Strategic Partners. The Strategic Partners can ensure that the technical work that is undertaken is fully responsive to the needs of the parliament, and that it complies with the objectives of the strategic framework of the Parliament. The Clerk drafts the goals and the accompanying action plans for ICT for review by the Working Group. The Clerk (with assistance of the Strategic Partners) must also be able to translate technical concepts into proposals that are understandable to Members, particularly to those who do not have a technical background.

The work of the Working Group should be overseen by Speaker of the House and / or Senate President of the chamber or by an official designated by the Speaker of the House and / or Senate President. Members of Parliament who have an interest in ICT should be invited by the Speaker of the House and / or Senate President to participate in the Working Group. All Members of Parliament should be encouraged to submit agenda items to the Working Group.

Activities

The Working Group should accomplish its objectives through the following activities:

• Meet once a quarter or as necessary when convened by the Clerk. • Meet more often at the beginning of its establishment so that all members can be become familiar with the current state and future plans for ICT. This should be completed within the first three months of the creation of the Working Group. • Review the goals and action plans for ICT. • Review and approval, if merited, of proposed projects.

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• Discuss and advise the Clerk on ICT issues and priorities, with each member representing both the perspective and interests of his or her own department as well as the perspective and interests of the chamber as a whole. • Share information about ICT plans with staff in each department; solicit the views of staff and present them as appropriate at Working Group meetings. • Establish a means for staff to submit ideas and suggestions anonymously directly to the Working Group. • Give the Clerk its best advice on ICT matters. • Publish a summary of its decisions and recommendations so that all Members and staff can be informed. • Carry out other activities deemed appropriate by the Clerk.

Topics/Issues

The following topics and issues are appropriate for the Working Group to consider:

• ICT goals and action plans • ICT priorities and resources • ICT policies • Status of projects • Evaluation and recommendation of solutions when problems arise • Services and content to be available on the intranet • Services, content, and design of internal websites • Services, content, and design of the public website • Cooperation and coordination required among departments for the successful completion and operation of ICT supported projects and activities • Sharing of plans and experiences with the Senate • Other topics and issues deemed appropriate by the Clerk.

Reports The Working Group will publish the following reports: • Goals and action plans for ICT, reviewed and updated every year • Progress report on the action plans for ICT, every six months • Other reports deemed appropriate by the Clerk.

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2. TERMS OF REFERENCE OF SECOND TECHNICAL MISSION TO THE PARLIAMENT OF GRENADA

Background and objectives

The project “Support to ICT Strategic Planning in the Parliaments of the Caribbean”, funded by the European Union, aims to promote transparency, accountability, democratic participation and good governance in the Caribbean by empowering the Parliaments of this region to better fulfill their democratic functions and contributing to their institutional strengthening through ICT.

The project’s specific objectives are to: assist parliaments in the establishment of a vision for ICT; assist parliaments in the development of a strategic plan for ICT; support parliaments in preparing a development programme document for ICT based on the Strategic Plan; support the establishment of a community of practice of ICT strategic planners in Parliament. Under this framework the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), through the Global Centre for ICT in Parliament, and in partnership with the Caribbean Centre for Development Administration (CARICAD), assists the legislatures of the Caribbean to achieve the following expected results:

− a clear and concise Vision Statement on ICT in parliament developed and owned by each parliament of the Caribbean region;

− a comprehensive Strategic Plan developed and owned by each parliament that links and makes operational the regional and global frameworks;

− a well formulated development program for ICT in Parliament (for each parliament) that will include all the projects that are prioritized and planned;

− the establishment of a community of practice of ICT strategic planners in parliamentary administrations.

Methodology and work assignment

The first technical assistance mission to the Parliament of Grenada was undertaken from 14 to 18 November 2011 and focused on assessing the current state of ICT in the parliament and identifying challenges and opportunities for the future development and use of ICT. As an output the mission produced a draft Assessment Report that was submitted for review to the Parliament of Grenada in February 2012.

The second technical assistance mission will be undertaken from 23 to 27 April 2012. The mission team will commence its preparations already on 22 April through a team meeting at the location of the assignment.

The second mission will mainly focus on the ICT strategic planning process. During this period the mission will work with the authorities of the Parliament, including its leadership and some members of parliament, senior management officials, and staff working in various functional areas to:

− Finalize the mentioned Assessment Report, based on the review comments and feedback from the leadership and parliamentary staff;

− Assist the Parliament in formulating an ICT Strategic Plan, through engaging all relevant stakeholders in the required visioning and strategic planning exercises.

In addition in consultation with the parliament and the present international development cooperation actors, the mission will evaluate whether an ICT development programme can and should be formulated for the parliament that will include an implementation roadmap, and specify expected budgetary and resource requirements.

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Expected output The second mission is primarily expected to deliver a comprehensive ICT Strategic Plan that addresses:

− The vision for ICT in the parliament;

− Specific ICT strategic goals and objectives;

− Specific recommendations and action plans for achieving the vision and objectives;

− The assignment of management responsibility and resource allocation for implementation;

− The criteria for the assessment and evaluation of the implementation.

In addition (and in consultation with the parliament) the mission is expected to deliver an ICT development programme for the parliament.

Location of Assignment The mission will be based in St. George’s, Grenada.

Mission team − Franklyn Michael, National Project Officer, CARICAD, “Support to ICT Strategic Planning in the Caribbean Parliaments”; − John MacDonald, ICT project manager, , − Carlos Magno Cataldi Santoro, Parliamentary ICT Expert, UNDESA/Global Centre for ICT in Parliament.

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3. CHECKLIST FOR PARLIAMENTARY WEBSITES BASED ON THE IPU GUIDELINES FOR PARLIAMENTARY WEBSITES

Questionnaire based on IPU Guidelines for Parliamentary Websites

• NA: no documentation exists at all – not in paper based, not electronic • 1 – documentation exists, but only in paper based format • 2 – documentation exist in electronic format but is not shared via intranet or • 3 – documentation exists in electronic format, but is not published on website • 4 – documentation exists in electronic format and is published on current website

1. Content: General Information about Parliament

1.1 Access to parliament NA 1 2 3 4 a) Information about access to the parliamentary building, such as visitors’ centers, guided tours, educational visits, visiting hours, access to plenary sessions and information services available to the public. b) Diagram of seating arrangements in the plenary and other official meeting rooms. c) Virtual ‘Guided tour’ of the parliamentary building. d) An explanation of the organization of the website.

1.2 History and role NA 1 2 3 4 a) Brief history of the parliament.

b) Description of the role and legal responsibilities of the parliament legislature.

c) Text of the country’s Constitution and other founding documents relevant to the work of the parliament

1.3 Functions, composition, and activities NA 1 2 3 4 a) Overview of the composition and functions of the parliament parliament and its constituent bodies, including a general description of the role of each parliamentary chamber (for bicameral parliaments) and non-plenary bodies (committees, commissions, etc.), understandable to a variety of audiences. b) The budget and staffing of the parliament.

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1.3 Functions, composition, and activities NA 1 2 3 4

c) Schedule of general activities and events occurring in the parliament today and planned for the future. d) Bicameral legislatures

a) A single page that introduces citizens to both chambers with links to the websites of each b) A prominent link on the websites of each individual chamber to the

website of the other

c) Information that explains the legislative and oversight responsibilities and procedures of both chambers d) For functions that require action by both chambers, such as passing proposed legislation, the associated documentation reflects the activities and the decisions taken by both chambers. e) List of interparliament and regional parliamentary assemblies of which the parliament is a member.

f) Annual report(s) of parliament, including plenary and non-plenary bodies. g) Statistics on the activities of the current and previous parliaments, such as the number of bills considered, number of committee hearings and meetings held, scrutiny instruments employed, hours of plenary debate, etc. h) Texts of official press releases of the parliament.

1.4 Elected leaders NA 1 2 3 4 a) Brief history of the parliament. b) Brief description of the Presiding Officer’s powers and prerogatives. c) Names of Deputy-Speakers/Vice-Presidents.

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1.5 Parliamentary committees, commissions, and other non-plenary NA 1 2 3 4 bodies

a) Complete list of non-plenary parliamentary bodies with links to the website of each body. b) Description of the mandate and terms of reference of each body.

c) Description of the activity carried out by the body since the beginning of the mandate. d) Membership and names of presiding officer(s) of each body.

e) Contact information (addresses, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail) of each body.

f) Selection of links to websites and documents relevant to the field of activity of the non-plenary body. g) Composition and other relevant current and historical information concerning the Parliament IPU Group, parliamentary friendship groups and parliament delegations to interparliament and regional parliamentary assemblies of which the parliament is a member.

1.6 Members of parliament NA 1 2 3 4 a) Up-to-date list of all current members of parliament with publicly available biography and photo; information about each member’s constituency, party affiliation, membership in parliamentary committees and/or commissions, and link to personal website. b) Description of representative duties and functions of members. c) Contact information for each Member of Parliament including

his or her e-mail address. d) Activities of individual members of parliament, such as legislative proposals, questions, interpellations, motions, political declarations, voting record, etc. e) Basic information concerning the status of a member of parliament, such as parliamentary immunity, inviolability, salaries and allowances, codes of conduct and ethics, etc. f) Statistical and demographic data (current and historical) on members of parliament (gender, age, education, job, etc.).

g) List with biography of previous members of Parliament with dates served.

1.7 Political parties in parliament NA 1 2 3 4

26 a) List of all political parties represented in parliament. b) Link to each party’s website.

1.8 Elections and electoral systems NA 1 2 3 4 a) Explanation of the election procedure such as voting system, electoral divisions/constituencies, who votes, who can be elected, nomination requirements, who conducts the election, etc. b) Link to the electoral commission website. c) Results of the last elections by party affiliation and constituency. d) Current composition of party groups and coalitions. e) Results of previous elections.

1.9 Administration of parliament NA 1 2 3 4 a) Diagram/organization chart and functions of the Secretariat of Parliament together with the names of, and other relevant information about, the Secretary General/Clerk of Parliament and other heads of bureaus. b) General descriptions of jobs in the legislature; a list of current vacancies; and details of how to apply.

1.10 Publications, documents, and information services NA 1 2 3 4

a) Description of the types and purposes of parliamentary publications and documents. b) Information about how and where to obtain parliamentary publications and documentation either directly through the website or through other means if not available online. c) Information about parliamentary library, archive, and information services.

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1.11 General links to websites NA 1 2 3 4 a) Presidency, Government, Constitutional and Supreme Courts b) Ministries and other parliament agencies c) State/provincial legislatures d) Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)

e) Other interparliament, regional, and sub-regional parliamentary organizations. f) Parliament parliaments of other countries. g) Other links of interest to parliament as the people’s representative

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2. Content: Information about Legislation, Budget, and Oversight

2.1 General information about legislative, budget, and oversight NA 1 2 3 4 activities a) Today’s business schedule in the parliament, including the legislative and oversight agendas, and committee and plenary schedules, with links to relevant documents; also, future business schedules in all areas, both plenary and non-plenary. b) Chart or diagram showing how the business of parliament is conducted and the relationships of its constituent bodies in carrying out those responsibilities; and a chart or diagram showing the relationships of the parliament parliament to other parliament and regional bodies. c) Glossary of parliamentary terms and procedures. d) Overview of parliamentary procedure and routine order of business.

e) Full text of the Standing Orders, Rules of Procedure or similar rule- setting documents.

2.2 Legislation NA 1 2 3 4 a) Explanation of the legislative process, including the relationship among the legislature’s constituent bodies and between the legislature and the government and other parliament and sub- parliament bodies. 28 b) Text and status of all proposed legislation

c) Links to parliamentary and government documentation that are relevant to proposed legislation. d) Text and final status of proposed legislation from previous years. e) Text and actions taken on all enacted legislation. f) A searchable database of current and previously proposed

legislation and of enacted legislation

2.3 Budget/Public Financing NA 1 2 3 4 a) Explanation of the budget and public financing processes, including constitutional authorities and responsibilities, the role of government, and the role of the parliamentary bodies that review or approve the budget and/or other public financing activities. b) Explanation of proposed budget/public financing. c) Status of parliamentary review of the proposed budget/public

financing activities.

d) Documentation from parliamentary bodies that review or approve the budget/public financing activities. e) Documentation regarding the budget from previous years.

f) A searchable database of documentation related to budget/public financing from the current and previous years

2.4 Oversight (Scrutiny) NA 1 2 3 4

a) Explanation of oversight responsibilities and the activities of oversight bodies. b) Summary and status of oversight activities. c) Oversight documentation, such as questions (written/oral); answers, replies, and ministerial statements; reports of committees of enquiry; interpellations; and special debates. d) Oversight documentation from previous years.

29 e) A searchable database of documentation related to oversight

activities from the current and previous years.

2.5 Activities of committees, commissions, and other non-plenary bodies NA 1 2 3 4 a) Documentation produced by non-plenary bodies (committees, commissions, and other official groups) such as schedules and agenda of meetings published in advance, records of meetings and actions taken, reports and documentation (including from other parliamentary offices relevant to the work of the body), hearings, and other activities. b) Documentation of non-plenary bodies from previous years. c) Websites of non-plenary bodies. d) Audio or video broadcast or webcast of meetings. e) Audio or video archive of meetings

2.6 Plenary activities and documentation NA 1 2 3 4 a) Documentation produced from plenary sessions, such as schedules and agenda published in advance, records of actions taken, text of statements by members, and text of debates. b) Documentation from plenary sessions from previous years. c) Audio or video broadcast or webcast of plenary meetings d) Audio or video archive of plenary meetings

3. Tools: Finding, Receiving, and Viewing Information

• No – currently not available on website • Yes – currently available on website

3.1 Search engine (a system for search and display that can :) No Yes

a) Be used to find and view all parliamentary documentation and information included in Sections 1 and 2 above.

30 b) Search for major elements, such as words in the text, status of legislation, dates of actions, members, committees, political parties, and other components that may be required. c) Sort results by various criteria. d) Meet the needs of members, staff, and the public, and be understandable to both

novice and expert users.

e) Link the results from searches of documentation to relevant audio and video records.

3.2 Broadcasting and webcasting No Yes a) Capacity to broadcast or webcast live meetings of any parliamentary body as well

as parliamentary events and programs

b) An archive of broadcast or webcast meetings, events, and programs that permits on-demand viewing

3.3 Alerting services No Yes a) Alerting services, such as email, RSS, or other appropriate technologies that enable members and the public to be informed about important parliamentary actions such as the introduction of, and changes to, the status and text of legislation; members’ activities; committee activities; oversight and scrutiny activities; and plenary activities.

3.4 Mobile services No Yes

a) Services that enable members and the public to access information and documentation available on the website through mobile devices.

3.5 Security and authentication No Yes

a) Secure services that enable members of parliament to receive, view, and exchange information and documentation on a confidential basis.

b) Authentication services, such as digital signatures, that enable the authenticity of documentation and information to be verified by any user of the website.

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4. Tools: Communication and Dialogue with Citizens

4.1 General feedback No Yes

a) A feedback utility that allows users to send comments and ask questions about any section of the website. b) Information about options and recommended ways to contact members, committees, and officials of the parliament such as by phone, by mail, in person, and through the web.

4.2 Communication between members and citizens No Yes

a) The capacity to contact members, committees, and officials of parliament by unstructured email messages or email forms.

b) Tools to enable members, committees, and officials to efficiently receive, manage, and respond to email from citizens and civil society.

c) Interactive tools such as blogs, online forum and discussions, e-petitions, and other methods for interacting with citizens.

d) Systems for allowing online polling when the subject matter is sufficiently important and the results can be considered helpful.

e) Testing and implementation of new methods for citizen-parliament interaction as the technologies emerge and as they prove useful to parliaments

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