Draw the line and make a fresh start – there’s goodwill

But we should not underestimate the task of converting a whole national history of manual records into digital data; nor forget the number one maxim of computerisation: “rubbish in, rubbish out”. PHOTO | FILE 

Summary

• That’s one finger tap on the keyboard per second, every second of every working day, for more than 30 years. Quicker, of course, if you mobilise a warehouse full of computers and an army of clerks (have we?). 
• But even if the manual record was perfect (which it most emphatically is not, for reasons well known to all)  and the typing error rate was as low as 0.1 per cent, that would still put 300,000 mistakes into the e.registration computer, which would trigger tens of thousands of automated disruptions to future transactions.  

13th Nov. 2016

THE E.GOVERNMENT  –  online interaction between the public and the adminstration  – will ultimately make all “red tape” simpler, clearer, faster, fairer; and hopefully more honest and more accurate. 

And what a relief any sign of any of those qualities would be! But we should not underestimate the task of converting a whole national history of manual records into digital data; nor forget the number one maxim of computerisation: “rubbish in, rubbish out”. For example: The essential information for vehicle registration alone will require the input of 300 million characters (20 data fields per vehicle, 10 characters per field, 1.5 million vehicles). 

That’s one finger tap on the keyboard per second, every second of every working day, for more than 30 years. Quicker, of course, if you mobilise a warehouse full of computers and an army of clerks (have we?). But even if the manual record was perfect (which it most emphatically is not, for reasons well known to all)  and the typing error rate was as low as 0.1 per cent, that would still put 300,000 mistakes into the e.registration computer, which would trigger tens of thousands of automated disruptions to future transactions.  

And as always, always always, the time penalties, cost and loss-of-use consequences of such anomalies will be imposed on the lives and businesses of law-abiding citizens – not on the real villains nor on self-righteous and all-powerful wielders of rubber stamps.   

HARVEST YESTERDAY    

If the teams organising the digitalisation of vehicle registration and every other sphere of red tape are as clever as we hope they are, then first and above all they will design the new systems to ensure that you and I do not have to suffer from or pay for the inadequacies of past records or any anomalies in the change-over.   

And policy should, as a matter of absolute principle, give the people the benefit of the doubt. Government departments are supposed to be “civil” and deliver “service”; they are not the headmaster’s office; they are not the landlords of our liberty.  Almost certainly that means drawing a line under past chaos, not trying to fix or “harvest” yesterday, and making a completely fresh start.

Is there any reason why every vehicle owner should not be invited to fill in his own data fields on a purpose-built website and get an instant print-out of a “safe conduct” licence to get on with his life. That would mobilise a million clerks – for free! 

The penalties for submitting false information could be huge (as a deterrent) and the authorities could audit the accuracy of submissions going “forward” – without disrupting or halting anybody trying to get on with the day-to-day process of being and doing right now. All legitimate interests want e.government and i.everything. 

The overwhelming majority of people will readily comply with “red tape” if it is simple, clear, quick and fair. The absence of any of those qualities is not only unnecessary... it is spurious.     

How good it would be if all e.government pledged to those objectives, drew a line across past failings on both sides of the counter, and made a fresh and full-speed start towards a straight future; with integrity at the top of all value systems.

Name the day. Draw the line. Go! The spirit and goodwill of the people (and the investment climate) would soar!