Expenditure in IT to be reduced

Recommendations to improve IT systems and reform organisational structures, have been prepared for review by the Financial Committee.

This was announced by the Chairman of the government task force responsible for reducing IT expenditure, Mohammed Ali Al Qaed. The task force was established following the directives of the Executive Committee – chaired by Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa as part of wider efforts to reduce government expenditure.

Following the Financial Committee’s review, the recommendations will be submitted to the Executive Committee for final approval.

Al Qaed stated that the recommendations were the result of wide-ranging work by four technical sub-committees, and include measures to place controls on IT expenditure, consolidate government IT projects, establish new mechanisms to manage the approval of new IT projects, and a new regulatory framework.

The policies would be implemented by the relevant government agency and supported by the ICT Governance Committee.

Al Qaed added that the task force is also reviewing ICT supplier contracts and holding meetings with companies to reach suitable solutions to further reduce expenditure.

The Chairman noted that moving forward, the task force would look into areas that require centralized management to streamline operations.

Al Qaed emphasised that the task force’s priority is raising the standard of government services provided to citizens at a reduced cost.

The IT expenditure task force forms part of six government task forces that were established to review and identify areas where government expenditure can be reduced.