Five access points for the EU’s EGOV4U in Malta are to be installed in Vittoriosa, Mellieħa, Ħamrun, Siġġiewi and Naxxar local councils, with another 10 to be installed during the year.

The aim is that eventually all local councils will have such a terminal to serve as a one-stop shop for people.

Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici told a news conference that Malta has made many advances in IT and these need to be sustained with initiatives which improve the government’s electronic services. Local councils are the ideal tools for this.

The demand for more e-government quality services is obvious from the fact that every month some 1,000 applications are made for an e-id. The Association of Local Councils is involved in the project with eight other organisations from the EU.

The main aim of EGOV4U is to hasten the use of services by more people, while at the same time make the changeover to government electronic services quicker. Dr Mifsud Bonnici said the aim is to provide access points at local councils, community centres and NGOs, launch a central and simple portal for e-gov services and, among others, the creation of e-clubs.