Hong Kong's New IT Director Boosts Digital Strategy Initiatives

by Mary Swire, Tax-News.com, Hong Kong

04 July 2001

On assuming his post as Director of the Hong Kong government's Information Technology Services Department (ITSD), Mr Alan Wong Chi-kong has committed himself and his department to helping implement the various information technology initiatives under the Digital 21 Strategy. 'Amongst the various initiatives of the Strategy, building an e-government is the top priority of our work,' he said.

To promote a wide adoption of e-business in Hong Kong, claimed Mr Wong, it is essential for the Government to lead by example. 'By adopting e-business best practices and an electronic mode of operations, the Government will be able to enhance efficiency, optimise the use of limited resources and provide high quality and customer-oriented services to the general public and the business sector. These will ultimately help drive the economic development of Hong Kong.'

'In fact,' he added, 'various measures to transform the Government into an e-government such as developing the necessary information infrastructure; implementing the Electronic Service Delivery Scheme; and adopting e-procurement for government purchases have been taken forward and are making good progress. We will continue to enhance the IT awareness and knowledge of the community and strengthen our co-operation with the IT industry and academia to promote the wider use of IT.'

Under the e-government strategy, the Hong Kong Government aims to transact internal business, deliver public services and interact with the public through electronic means. Enhancing Hong Kong's e-business environment, developing the local IT workforce and exploiting enabling technologies are the other strategic areas of the 2001 Digital 21 Strategy in which ITSD will play important roles.

Mr Wong said he was very excited with the appointment and welcomed the opportunity to apply his talents, experience and knowledge to his new endeavour. He is confident that he will work very well with the IT professionals in ITSD whom he considers as the greatest asset of the department.

He claimed: 'In the Information Age, life-long learning is important to every one of us, including IT professionals. We must equip ourselves well to keep pace with the ever changing IT developments and adapt ourselves readily to the development of an information economy.'

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