e-government 'is the logical next step'

Abu Dhabi: e-government works to the extent of the country's infrastructure and the UAE has the infrastructure so the logical next step is e-government, says Dr. Jerry Mechling of Harvard University Kennedy School of Governance.

Speaking to Gulf News at the two-day Government Leaders Forum, Mechling said: "e-government would fail if there is no infrastructure, but clearly the infrastructure is here, specifically in Dubai. So the next step is a move towards e-services."

Change is always difficult, adds Mechling, "there is always tension between continuity and change, but the only thing that has gotten this country where it is today is innovation."

Mechling said the government stands to gain from this. "If the government doesn't meet the needs of the private sector, business will go elsewhere. But if a government says we are responsible for our people and responds to their needs, they will be the winners," he said.