Press Releases 2006
Fourth Municipal IT User Group Seminar
February 24, 2006
Consulate of the United States of America
Podgorica
On February 10, The USAID/Montenegro Good Local Governance (GLG) project, implemented by The Urban Institute (UI), organized the Fourth Municipal Information Technology (IT) User Group seminar. The GLG project has organized these seminars since the first one was held in June 2004. Meetings of the Municipal IT User Group have featured results achieved in improving municipal technology support from the GLG project for municipal IT capacity-building, coordination of donor-funded municipal IT technical and material support and planned future activities. Municipal IT User Group, established by the GLG project, has become a center for IT infrastructure improvement and exchange of knowledge and skills – a true IT Forum and important capacity-building group.
The Fourth Municipal IT User Group seminar covered current topics related to IT support for municipal operations, including: environmental geographic information systems (GIS), software for administrative procedures in secretariats for urbanism, the Municipal Land Management Project, introduction to the proposed national wireless internet network, the new version of the municipal Treasury Management System software, use by municipalities of ADSL broadband internet service and eBanking, introduction to IT infrastructure in the municipality of Budva, use of Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP), Virtual Private Network (VPN), and other useful IT solutions applicable in daily operations of municipal departments in order to improve efficiency, data exchange and document generation. Also, this Seminar featured the fourth IT Bulletin prepared by GLG project and municipal IT specialists and colleagues. Since it was first published in January 2005, the IT Bulletin has covered more than 100 different topics related to IT technology in service of more efficient and transparent local governance. The IT bulletin and other related information on the Municipal IT User Group can be viewed at the GLG project web site: http://www.urbaninstitute.cg.yu/
The main benefits of the improved municipal and municipal water works IT systems include better, faster and more accurate financial management; improved financial reporting to municipal and municipal water works managers and to Republic government bodies and institutions (e.g., the Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenues, etc.), better utilization of municipal and municipal water works resources leading, for example, to higher municipal revenues and improved municipal service delivery; and faster responses to citizens' requests.
Quote: Michael Sinclair, GLG project Chief of Party: "I am glad to see that this Municipal IT User Group, which first met in June 2004, has become successful and viable, gathering municipal IT specialists and other staff members from all 21 municipalities. Municipal IT capacity-building, beyond just the procurement of modern IT equipment and software, was one of the major objectives of the GLG project, and we are glad to see how much IT capacity municipalities have actually developed in a short period of time. Our IT team of four full-time specialists and four part-time consultants have provided continuous on-site and off-site training in basic and advanced computer software applications and IT network administration, visiting all municipalities and municipal water works. I believe Montenegrin municipalities are now able to support their main IT requirements. Our colleagues from other international donor organizations – UNDP, GTZ and SNV – have generously agreed to continue to support the Municipal IT User Group and the IT Bulletin after the GLG project ends in March 2006, and I am sure they will help you to continue to achieve your goals."