Situation
On a weekly basis, Cabinet Ministers in The Bahamas would gather in person in Nassau to review and approve key Government decisions. Ministers travelled with heavy cases containing numerous printed copies of briefing papers and legislative drafts. The process had become unsustainable as it was slow, inflexible and with a needlessly high environmental footprint.
COVID-19 restrictions which impeded movement and in-person meetings further exacerbated the situation, bringing it to ahead.
Solution
In 2021, the Government of The Bahamas began working with PwC to reimagine a more agile process with remote capabilities that would streamline the operations of the Cabinet Office and simplify internal procedure for decisions. This resulted in the development of The Bahamas Electronic Cabinet Management Information System (‘E-cabinet’).
From Agenda to Cabinet Conclusion, the decision-making workflow is now fully digitised and paperless. Ministers and their designated aides can access, update and communicate key documents 24/7, including when they are on the move or abroad, while being protected by the latest cyber defences.
Human-led, tech-powered
Recognising that technology is only the enabler, rather than the solution in its own right, PwC spent a great deal of time engaging with Ministers and their aides to discover what would make their work more productive, before engaging with tech teams to develop, trial, and implement this customised solution.
Bringing users on-board
Drawing on deep experience, PwC understood that digital transformation needs user understanding and buy-in to realise its potential. The E-cabinet platform is being rolled out in a series of modular steps, only moving onto the next stage when users are fully on-board and ready. The process is augmented with regular video calls with users to share feedback and suggest design improvements.
Impact
Because Ministers can now access, review, and respond to information when and where it suits them best, decision-making is faster, more efficient and provides the catalyst for further simplification and streamlining of Cabinet Office operations. While ministers do still meet regularly, the E-cabinet system has allowed for a more efficient process, and ultimately lightened their carbon footprint.
Delivering for citizens
Across the PwC network, there are numerous examples of how our human-led, tech-enabled approach can transform public services. And with PwC research showing that two in three people in the Caribbean advocate the use of digital public services, the model could bring additional valuable benefits in areas ranging from healthcare to planning and licensing applications.
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