Computer funding during cutbacks

A tiny window into government can be found by scrolling through the consulting contracts that are up for bid through the BC Purchasing Commission. There one can find a "Request for Information" (RFI) dryly described as the "Registry Consolidation Project". The full RFI is available via a downloadable Word 97 document.

The RFI is for work on a central registry for all tenure and other legal encumbrances on Crown land and resources. An appendix to the word document titled "An Integrated Registry for
Provincial Land & Resource Encumbrance Information Development Plan" includes the little scenario of an entrepreneur as painted by Hagen during the staged cabinet meeting. That appendix also casts considerable doubt on Minister Hagen's belief about how attainable his vision might be.

The appendix makes a stunning admission when it says "Costs for implementing an integrated registry are difficult to determine at this time because users' specific requirements, a business practices review, and business case analyses have not yet been completed." At the staged cabinet meeting, Minister Hagen claimed that his ministry was going to reduce 138 computer applications to a mere 20. Now it turns out that "users' specific requirements, a business practices review, and business case analyses have not yet been completed"! If that is not enough, the RFI goes on to say "A fundamental issue that needs attention as a first priority is that we do not have a precise fix on who we are building an integrated registry for, and what their specific information needs are."

The ministry's document expanded on just how difficult it might be to define business practices when it said "Business practices within the tenuring agencies (and the registry systems that support the practices) have all evolved out of historical legal and policy requirements. Before registry system efficiencies can be achieved it will be necessary to look closely at business practices to see how far it is possible to go in reforming and standardizing operational policies / business practices in search of simplification and cost-savings."

A few other weaknesses were revealed to potential bidders when the Ministry declared "The types and locations of existing data issues are generally known to staff who work regularly with the registries, but the precise nature and extent of the "information reliability" problem across all of government's separate registry systems has not been documented. There is, therefore, no solid basis for assessing the level of risk (i.e., liability) that government would bear in putting its encumbrance information out to the general public and business community." That is an example of what the Auditor General was referring to when he said that massive layoffs will result in the loss of "corporate memory". The ministry's document didn't mention that one third of the key staff with the corporate memory would soon be fired. Is that yet another reason why the Attorney General wants to limit government's liability?

Business literature is full of horror stories based on large scale systems or computer projects that end up costing tens of millions only to end in failure. The Campbell government claimed that it would venture boldly into the information technology morass. It looks like Minister Hagen found a good starting point. It's no wonder that he pleaded for more funding during his staged cabinet presentation!

October 29, 2001

Hagen Appeals for Computer Funding During Cutbacks

Can you imagine a minister in the Campbell government using a televised "cabinet meeting" to appeal for more funding for children and families, for health, for welfare or even for water quality? No? How about a pitch for funding computer technology?

Hagen appeals for computer funding At the October 24th staged cabinet meeting, Minister of Sustainable Resource Management Stan Hagen said "We have over 138 separate information systems with different data standards and resulting high maintenance costs." A few minutes later, the Minister said "As I said before, after the transfer of activities from several ministries, we currently support 138 computer systems applications. We will reduce and consolidate that number to 20 basic applications." The minister did not mention how his reduction related to a data warehouse that was in the works under the former government.

Whether the number of applications is over 138, or is 138, Minister Hagen snuck in an appeal for funds when he went on to say "Many of the proposals we are putting forward include technological enhancements that require capital investment. Some of that capital might be sourced from the private sector through various forms of public-private partnerships, but I would be remiss if I did not tell you that government will have to carry some of these technology costs."

To help in getting the computer application count right, I have submitted a freedom of information request for the list of 138 computer applications and for a brief description of what each application does. I won't hold my breath for a quick response as I am still being stalled in my efforts to get a list of self-governing bodies that got a directive originating from Kevin Falcon's strange counting mission. Maybe the folks in Stan Hagen's ministry are better counters.

It will be interesting to watch as Minister Hagen attempts to get a cutback minded government to "carry some of these technology costs."

Check out these part's
of Hagen's Ministry:     Land and Resource Registries Portal
                                    Land Titles
                                    Crown Land Registry
                                    Conservation Covenants
                                    Conservation Data Centre
                                    Environmental Monitoring System
                                    Fisheries Inventory
                                    Geographic Information Systems
                                    Habitat Inventory
                                    Species Inventory Database
                                    Survey Regulations (oops, watch out for Falcon)
                                    Water Inventory

Exploring the links provided above gives an idea of just a few of the areas that now fall into Minister Hagen's area of responsibility. It leaves you breathless when you think about how those responsibilities will be carried out with 35% fewer resources.