GovTech joins the Smart Nation and Digital Government Group

27 MAR 2017
govtech joins the smart nation and digital government group

Image credit: Courtest of GovTechie Darren Loh

Just in case you haven’t heard, the big news from last week is that GovTech will be part of the Prime Minister’s office (PMO) from 1 May 2017 onwards.

You can read more from the official press release.

But take it from us: GovTechies are excited to be part of the new Smart Nation and Digital Government Group (SNDGG), as the implementation agency for the new Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO).

We will be working closely with the SNDGO, which comprises colleagues from the Digital Government Directorate of the Ministry of Finance (MOF), the Government Technology Policy department in the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI), and the Smart Nation Programme Office (SNPO) in the PMO.

In a nutshell, the SNDGG will enable the Singapore Government to be more integrated and responsive, in terms of strategy and processes in the key areas of Smart Nation and Digital Government.

Key projects that will benefit Singapore include developing a national digital identity framework, building the Smart Nation Platform and partnering the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to promote e-payments.

The Group will be overseen by a Ministerial Committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean.

Members of the Committee include:

  • Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Communications and Information, who will be Deputy Chairman and Minister-in-charge of Cybersecurity and the Info-communications Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA);

  • Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation Initiative;

  • Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) & Second Minister for Defence. He has also been appointed to champion Public Service innovation;

  • Dr Janil Puthucheary, Minister of State for Ministry of Communications and Information & Ministry of Education, and Minister-in-charge of GovTech. Several members of the Ministerial Committee joined a group of GovTechies and new SNDGG colleagues for a tea session at GovTech HQ, after the official media announcement on 20 March 2017.

In the media

There has been quite a bit of coverage about the formation of the SNDGG, and we'll share just a sampling.

You can read all about it in publications such as The Straits Times.

An interesting angle was provided by the GovInsider portal, which highlighted the appointment of Dr Janil Puthucheary as the Minister in charge of GovTech.

The formation of the SNDGG and GovTech's role also popped up in an Insight story in The Sunday Times, Untangling The Way To A Smart Nation, which is a primer on the need to accelerate the Smart Nation transformation.

Finally, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong also spoke about the need to boost Singapore's Smart Nation initiativewith the changes.

In short, it's going to be an even more exciting ride for GovTech from 1 May, and we’re ready to share our journey with you on our social media channels and of course, here on TechNews too.