Engaging Citizens and Delivering Services

Abstract

Globally, governments are attempting to transform their societies with the widespread use of information and communication technologies (ICTs). Public agencies consider ICTs as powerful tools to deliver services to citizens and encourage engagement. Debate surrounds issues of e-government and how it can be used to transform service delivery and engagement to citizens. For developing countries research indicates that most of these attempts can be explained as e-government versus e-governance. This article examines initiatives by the Housing Development Corporation in Trinidad and Tobago to provide service delivery to citizens and encourage their participation through electronic means. It also evaluates the effects of the agency's initiatives to citizens and its ability to interact with them. Using content analysis of the agency's website and survey interviews, the study examines four categories taken from two research questions and suggests the extent to which these efforts signal the development of e-government practices by this agency.