Information and eGovernment Authority (iGA) has announced that more than 350 suggestions received through the National Complaints and Suggestions System (Tawasul) were implemented in 2021.
According to the iGA, public submissions increased by 75% in 2021 compared to the year before, and the authority implemented 137 more suggestions in 2021, following careful review.
The submissions through electronic channels were prioritized according to adherence to iGA’s digital strategy and were implemented as resources became available.
The implemented suggestions included several related to ID card services, the eTraffic app, and the BeAware Bahrain app which the kingdom launched to combat the spread of Covid-19.
CEO Mohammed Ali Al Qaed said the iGA continuously seeks open dialogue with the public, in line with the directives of HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa to adopt an open-door policy.
More than 25,000 cases related to the iGA’s services were received during 2021, he stated, affirming that the iGA maintained a 100% success rate in responding to each suggestion within the allotted time set for it.
Al Qaed also attributed the success of e-government services, especially during the pandemic, to Minister of Interior, General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa’s directives of encouraging communication with the public.
He pointed out that Tawasul’s main contribution was to bring their ideas to fruition by converting them into new digital systems, services, and channels.
These suggestions provide government agencies and officials with an efficient way to identify and address issues faced by the public, he noted.
"The ID card suggestions that were implemented included a service which allows for the onscreen display and printing of ID card data and the updating of registered residential addresses through the portal," noted Al Qaed.
He explained that further features were added allowing applications to be amended and documents to be uploaded.
The iGA, he stated, also worked with the General Traffic Department to digitize traffic services, including a service that displays electronic copies of driver’s licenses and vehicle ownership certificates through the eTraffic mobile application.
Another service was added, which allows the issuing of authorizations for vehicles travelling to the Saudi Arabia via the King Fahd Causeway, replacing the previous system which required physical documents, he stated.