New Assistant Minister for eGov

28 June 2016

Deputy Scott Wickenden has been appointed Assistant Minister with specific responsibility for eGov.

The Chief Minister, Senator Ian Gorst, has made the appointment to further strengthen the eGov programme.

A recent audit published by the Comptroller and Auditor General (19 May 2016), said “eGov is not easy. It is about so much more than technology and touches fundamentally on how government interacts externally with citizens and internally between functions and activities. Successful implementation goes beyond systems and processes to vision, culture and skills.”

Deputy Wickenden said “I’m delighted to have been appointed to this role. eGov is about transforming government for  the benefit of Islanders, and it’s a critical component of Public Sector Reform. There have already been significant improvements to project and risk management; and I look forward to working on the development and implementation of eGov across the organisation.”

Deputy Wickenden will work closely with Assistant Chief Minister for Financial Services, Digital, Competition and Innovation, Senator Philip Ozouf, helping to develop strong eGov plans for all ministerial departments. 

Senator Ozouf said “This further strengthens the government’s ambition to harness the power of digital to prepare Jersey for a future that’s being transformed by technology. Deputy Wickenden’s 15 years’ experience in tech services prior to his election to the States, means he’s uniquely qualified for this new role and I look forward to working with him.”

Chief Minister, Senator Ian Gorst and Treasury Minister Senator Alan Maclean added the following joint statement “The creation of a dedicated eGov ministerial appointment sends a clear message about this government’s determination to deliver on eGov.”

Deputy Wickenden will help to deliver a strong partnership between government and the digital industry. He will also work across government, helping to deliver better, more accessible services for Islanders.

Deputy Wickenden has resigned his position as Deputy Chair of the Public Accounts Committee to focus more completely on his new responsibilities.