THE CHALLENGES OF E-GOVERNANCE IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
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and these values can be strengthened by e-governance. OECD countries have made considerable progress in making the information accessible through e-governance in the public sector as a result of the presence of a vigilant media, and public pressure. The developing countries lag behind with regard to making the information available for the public and some even try to suppress the availability of information. The problem of transparency is further complicated by a large number of uneducated and poor people in developing countries. Internet use is a luxury when the chief concerns are food and shelter. However, the important challenge for the poorest developing countries is to make the Internet accessible to a large number of people. If the governments in the developing countries can supply computers in public places, this will improve public accessibility. However, the issue of education and computer literacy cannot be solved overnight. Still, even in poor developing countries, there are a large number of people who can access the internet. Many of the services available to people in need can be made accessible to the public, for example, passport, higher education, etc. Public administrators must ensure accountability in e-governance and it must not lead to the loss of responsibility. With proper care, e-governance can facilitate improved opportunities to ensure accountability. As a result of e-governance, people can instantly contact the government about an issue of concern. Public officials can be put under pressure to defend all the actions and decisions. An accountable and responsible government is crucial for establishing democracy. In most countries, the bureaucrats are not elected, and there is no direct way to ensure accountability. E-governance provides an opportunity for the public to ensure accountability in bureaucracy by continuous feedback. However, the governments have the responsibility to provide the means of accountability by making the e-technology to provide the feedback.
Participation and E-Democracy Participation in public policies is an essential prerequisite for democracy. There is a wider opportunity for participation by the public in government affairs as a result of the increased use of the internet and communication technology. E-governance provides the tool for people to be involved and to express their concerns. E-governance facilitates participation through online debates and plebiscites (Teicher et al. 2002). Zimmerman (1986) claims that participation by the people on the Internet will lead to e-democracy. Public administrators face the constant challenge of keeping
