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Note: Improving PFM digital transparency in African finance ministries
by John Leonardo Introduction This note provides an introduction to our “Improving PFM digital transparency in African finance ministries” presentation which is also available as a video. Transparency of public finances is a key element of a public financial management (PFM) system enabling public scrutiny of government actions and intentions. Transparency of public finances is…
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Rebalancing Britain – shaping the future
by David Fellows (1) Governments like to deal with issues one at a time. It makes the narrative easier to handle. The problem for the current Government is that it faces a landscape of interconnected challenges. As a result, the big picture is getting lost. The opposition, political and media, are playing a fairly simple…
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Small Island Developing States, COVID-19 and Digital Technology
Posted by David Fellows[1]and John Leonardo[2] The impact of COVID-19 COVID-19 has changed behaviour throughout the world and social distancing has been the key driver. Workers in factories, shops and offices have been protected by creating greater space between workstations, erecting protective screens and using protective clothing. Distancing requirements have been introduced in bars, cafes,…
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Towards A New Normal
by David Fellows[1] Things are not going back to normal. Things were changing anyway and they have now been given a good push. There has also been an enormous economic and fiscal shock arising from C-19 that adds a terrible seriousness to the situation. We must now look towards a new normal not try to…
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World e-government coverage remains limited
World e-government coverage remains limited according to the 2020 edition of the United Nations E‑Government Survey which was released on 10 July 2020 (1). This is in spite of most countries and municipalities currently pursuing digital government strategies, many with innovative initiatives. The 2020 ranking of the 193 UN Member States in terms of digital…
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COVID-19, Brexit and the Regions
by David Fellows (1) The UK’s ever expanding London-centred economy is destructive of communities in the regions and in London too. Continued progress in this direction will lead inevitably to an increasing displacement of community self-reliance by state provision for all aspects of personal wellbeing. In the December general election the UK Government challenged the…
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Virtual Schooling in the United Kingdom
by David Fellows (1) The closure of schools to combat Covid-19 is a dramatic response to the virus that presents significant challenges concerning the continuity of education and the pupil/teacher relationship. This article offers some thoughts on the application of digital technology to support school-aged education at home whether made available by their normal school…
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Progress with 5G Digital Coverage in the UK & Developing World Implications
by David Fellows [1] The 5G mobile communication offers the prospect of high bandwidth reception for rapid video downloads, gaming, instant replay coverage at major sporting events and simultaneous service to heavy concentrations of digital devices. It is a highly topical subject across the world including developing countries. This article tempers expectations of widespread 5G…
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Policy Frameworks and Municipal Effectiveness
By David Fellows [1] Introduction Local governments, referred to here as ‘municipalities’, tend to be smaller scale, face less complex challenges, and have less diversity amongst stakeholders when compared to national governments. This relative simplicity should be regarded as their defining strength. It eases the path to identifying their core mission and prioritising service developments…
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Using Digital Technology to Improve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Delivery
by David Fellows and Glyn Evans[1] The SDGs The United Nation’s SDGs present an array of complex social, engineering, medical, scientific and managerial challenges for member states set in different contexts and mostly requiring very significant investment, organisational capacity and community involvement. Nations have made commitments to this agenda and it is accepted as…