Video-Conference Workshop Current Records Management, Poverty Reduction, and Corruption Control

1. Video-Conference WorkshopCurrent Records Management,Poverty Reduction, and Corruption Control Accra, Dar es Salaam, Kampala Buenos Aires, London, Paris, Washington DC June 6, 2000

2. Current Records Management,Poverty Reduction, and Corruption Control ANNE THURSTON Executive Director International Records Management Trust

3. “Without access to information there is no transparency; without transparency there is no accountability; and without transparency and accountability there is no democracy.” • Dr. Harrison Mwakyembe • Senior Lecturer in Law • University of Dar es Salaam

4. Information management is a key aspect of civil service reform in countries throughout the world. All too often we forget that reliable, authentic, legally verifiable records constitute the primary form of information which governments require to serve their citizens.

5. Record keeping systems in many countries around the world are unable to cope with the growing mass of records which governments create.

6. Electronic governance offers new solutions. It has the potential to transcend constraints imposed by distance and to increase the speed of service delivery. It also poses challenges for accountability, the rule of law, and the maintenance of organizational memory.

7. It makes it possible to process, manipulate, reformat, and change information easily; the rule of law depends on evidence in a fixed form.

8. Unless there is a very well developed capacity to manage electronic records as legally verifiable evidence of entitlements, contractual obligations, policies, or transactions for as long as they are legally required, it is essential to support mixed media, paper/electronic systems.

9. If public sector reform is to achieve its objectives it is essential that governments, donors, and lenders should address the substantial problems which governments are facing in managing their paper and their electronic records.

10. The video films which will be shown as part of this workshop have been produced by the International Records Management Trust to illustrate key issues in records management. • For information about obtaining copies, • please contact: • info@irmt.btinternet.com

11. Module 1 Records Management Infrastructures

12. Is the framework required for managing records in place at the national and the organizational levels?

13. Module 2 Records and Accountability/Anti-Corruption

14. Does records management have a role to play in accountability and anti-corruption programs?

15. Module 3 Records, Payroll, and Personnel Controls

16. Can payroll and personnel controls be improved without records management?

17. Module 4 Electronic Governance and Electronic Records

18. Are IT systems being designed to take account of records management issues (paper and electronic?)

19. Module 5 Developing a Sustainable Record-keeping Culture

20. Can we tackle records management • as a global development issue?