REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON
Peace – Work – Fatherland
Circular No. 007 /CAB/PM of 23 AOUT 2000 Relating to the establishment and use of Government websites.
# THE PRIME MINISTER, HEAD OF GOVERNMENT
To: the Ministers of State, the Ministers.
The new information and communication technologies are at the root of sweeping changes in the administrative, economic, social and cultural practices of most countries. All sectors of human activity depend on them for modernisation.
In this connection, Government should serve as a booster by adopting and fostering the use of these new information and communication tools.
Regarding the internet in particular, the Government could, through effective and efficient use, improve on the functioning of Government services, better publicise its activities and be permanently informed so as to adapt its action to the global context.
Accordingly, a specialized link and internet servers were installed in the Prime Minister’s Office in order to serve in the establishment of Government websites for those ministries which do not have such equipment.
Yet, I have been made to understand that this information and communication means is not adequately used and that there is no harmony in the establishment of the Government websites with regard to their name, lodging and content, thereby undermining the benefits expected by the Government.
I have also realised that most of the websites do not portray Cameroon’s bilingual option as reiterated in Circular letter No. 1/CAB/PM of 16 August 1991 regarding the practice of bilingualism in Government and semi-public services.
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Accordingly, I hereby urge you to make adequate use of the internet, within the framework of the communication activities of your respective services and in addition to the other conventional media, so as to develop Government policy and our country’s wealth and potentials.
As concerns the name, the domain “gov.cm”, in which all Government websites should now be lodged, was opened and its management entrusted to my office which is equally responsible for opening the domain names for the various Government services.
As concerns lodging, the need to preserve the integrity and authenticity of the information disseminated in Government sites requires that these sites be lodged either in the servers of your respective ministries or in those of the Prime Minister’s Office.
With regards to content, in order to ensure the consistency and credibility of the information published, it should be within the jurisdiction of your respective ministries. Also, you should regularly update your sites to make them more attractive and interesting.
In a bid to enhance the bilingual image of Cameroon, I also enjoin you to ensure that all documents carried in your respective sites and those of bodies under your supervision, are in both official languages.
Lastly, I urge you to provide the computer and communication structures with the adequate human and material resources needed for the operation and upkeep of these sites.
I will not hesitate, whenever necessary, to ensure that Government websites are used adequately.