This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Focus on people - not gadgets
19/04/2002
People, not technology - are at the heart of the Executive's drive to modernise government.
That was the message from Minister for Finance and Public Services Andy Kerr today.
Delivering first-class public services is about putting the people who use those services first. And modernising government should be about better public services - not just electronic gadgets, he said.
Speaking at the Scottish Local Government Information Unit conference Putting Citizens First, Mr Kerr said:
"Transforming public services is about people - the customers and the citizens who use those services. The public deserve services which get it right first time and it is their needs - no-one else's - that must shape services.
"I believe in public services which are doing real things for real people. It is not about fancy theory or interesting gadgets, it is about listening to people and responding to their needs.
"The only way to modernise public service delivery is to listen to the people at the frontline. And any improvements must have an impact at the point of contact, where they will benefit the customer most.
"The people of Scotland - the people who use the services - lead the drive towards transforming public services. Technology can help us to achieve our objective but modernisation is not all about e-government - it is about good government. Modern joined-up services which can get it right first time.
"The improved delivery of public services is our top priority. We are committed to working in partnership to modernise government and achieve that goal."