Using e-justice and e-procurement reflects a paradigm shift

The advent of modern technology has had a dramatic impact on nearly all social domains, one being the judicial system. Today, advanced technology is a potential facilitator to courts to improve their efficiency. Just early this year, the Rwandan government introduced a new electronic justice (e-justice) or a web-based software, dubbed ‘Integrated Electronic Case Management System (IECMS)’, and designed purposely to improve the efficiency of the judicial system. Access to this web-based software is obviously contingent upon internet connectivity. This system made a paradigm shift from classic way of instituting lawsuits as well as making submissions without being physically at the seat of the Court. Using information communication technologies in the judicial system embraces the value of quick service delivery highly desirable in any society. Like IECMS, this year, in July, the Government, through the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, and Rwanda Public Procurement Authority (RPPA), for the first time, launched electronic procurement, or e-Procurement. E-procurement can be loosely described as the use of electronic methods, typically over the Internet to conduct transactions between awarding authorities and suppliers. It is worth noting that e-Procurement is one of the basic tenets of the e-Government programme whose prime objective is to improve the labour productivity of the public sector and, as a result, contribute to a number of intermediate outcomes, such as improved services, cost savings, time savings and transparency. Additionally, e-Procurement is expected to enhance public procurement in curbing corruption by reducing physical contacts between bidders and procuring entities. On the economic side of it, it will in turn have organisational efficiency, simplification as well as increase of GDP. Inherently, this is a system that does away with the routine paperwork. A pilot test of e-Procurement was launched in eight public bodies namely, Ministry of Infrastructure, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Ministry of Health, Rwanda Development Board, Rwanda Transport Development Authority, Rwanda Public Procurement Authority, Kicukiro District and Gasabo District. In a general sense, both technological systems [IECMS and e-Procurement] are designed to improve the efficiency in their respective sectors. Today, nobody ignores that ICT has dramatically changed many aspects of everyday life from a classic way of doing things to digital and technological way. This, however, requires us to change our mindset to the new technologies, by not stifling these technologies but adapting to, and embracing them. Despite this tremendous paradigm shift, there’re some challenges that need to be addressed along the way such that these technologies do not encounter lurches, setbacks and pushbacks. For example, adequate trainings need to be strengthened as one of the major impediments for people to easily adapt to new technologies. More specifically, the Integrated Electronic Case Management System (IECMS), one of the components of e-justice, is seen as a potential facilitator of improving the efficiency and accessibility of justice. Justice sector should ensure that all legal sectors and relevant agencies are sufficiently trained in the IECMS to be able to facilitate the beneficiaries. If such undertaking is not taken adequately, the usage of IECMS may face pushbacks simply because the beneficiaries cannot effectively and efficiently access the system. Adequate training must also encompass relevant private entities and individuals such as lawyers, internet café personnel and NGOs working within the field of legal aid. Over and above, as the government is actively committed to improving quality justice sector services, there’s a need to increase infrastructure for internet connectivity and electricity, which are the determinant factors of the successful usage of IECMS. To many people, including myself, IECMS has appreciable effects, particularly in terms of accountability and transparency. Turning to e-Procurement, like IECMS, its successful implementation requires adequate training for users and beneficiaries to know how the whole e-tendering process operates. E-Procurement is the complete e-tendering process starting from online publishing of tender enquiries and online bid submission by the bidders, to online bid opening, online bid evaluation and publication of award of contract. Without this adequate knowledge, the procuring entities might face pushback by users who may be resistant to change, simply due to human nature and habit. The other thing is the need for registration of a person or entity in order to be accorded a Digital Signature Certificate that is mandatory for any e-bidding. In order to secure online environment of users of a digital certificate, the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) started the implementation of a National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Project which guarantees the confidentiality, integrity, authenticity and non-repudiation in electronic transaction and communication. Presently, the role of National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Project uses a centralised model. At this point, it is too early to be decentralised. In coming days, individuals and companies that aren’t registered in e-Procurement system will be abridged of the right to bid. Thus, this calls for awareness raising so that people are informed of this mandatory requirement. No doubt, if the above views are given due regard, both technologies [IECMS and e-Procurement] will lead to the attainment of openness and transparency, increased participation in the information society, increased democratic participation and enhanced effectiveness and efficiency. Though technology is not a panacea, it has literally changed every aspect of the way any business operates and never before in history has that change occurred so fast. The writer is an international law expert

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Using e-justice and e-procurement reflects a paradigm shift