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Integration of GIS and e-Government in Kuwait

On the other hand, the researcher was successful in forming the National Committee to facilitate geographical information system in the State of Kuwait based on a degree issued by Kuwait University president. The committee includes all ministries and government firms in the State of Kuwait to establish the National Centre for Geographical Information Systems. The committee was able to prepare the project in its final form and obtained Kuwait University Council approval. The project will be presented to the Council of Ministers so that it is approved (God Willing). The project idea and the methodology of designing the national spatial database were presented in the last two conferences.

Although both projects form real national cornerstones for decision makers in the State of Kuwait, there is still an empty circle between them due to the fact that the e-Government work-team eliminated the idea of integration of both projects because the idea of the work-team was that there was no necessity since the e-Government is an administrative system for all ministries departments and offering services on the web without the need for the spatial dimension. The integration efforts are limited to some aspects represented by the same person in both projects, and that person was ambitious to reach complete integration. The best example is Kuwait Municipality.

The National Centre for Geographical Information Systems will provide a unified spatial national database containing terminology, contents, and different types of files for reading. Then the centre will maintain its contents to support government authorities that view the e-Government systems are limited only to administrative and daily correspondences systems to enlarge its usage circle to the spatial aspect. This step is to agree with reality and accomplish the required demands for development, especially in large developmental projects.

Fifth: an applied integration model between both technologies:
As an applied model of the applied integration between the e-Government and geographical information systems technology, we present the proposed project idea by Kuwait University to the Ministry of Planning regarding the possibility of executing the population census of the State of Kuwait depending o integration among the following technologies:

• GIS that manages spatial database of the census maps using ESRI Software.
• GPS technology that organizes the reading of coordinates signals of locations through satellites to guide calculators in the field. In the same time, it actually monitors the calculator since it cannot start calculating before verifying the geographical location of the statistical square. The mounted system allows to open a census application mechanically.
• Ipaq PDA that contains GSM/GPRS communication systems with a processing speed of 400 MHz and a 128 MB RAM.
• Online data downloading through GSM/GPRS network.
• Mobile Mapping Systems that connect field divisions with census data tables on computer laptops.
• Automatic Census that is programmed using Visual Basic Language to allow entering census data after checking the geographical location, entering the number of the statistical location, entering the number of the civil identity card of the head of the household or any member of the family.
• Availability of central server – HP Compaq ML 370, Xeon Dual Processor, 4 GB Memory, 73×3 Ultra SCSI.
• Spatial database directly made available on Oracle 9i Enterprise Edition.
• The benefits of the e-Government in this applied project are as follows:
• The possibility of providing census data as soon as the field survey is over instead of using traditional methods that take more than a year in entering and checking data.
• ? The possibility of approving the census data by governmental authorities as soon as it is over to provide services for citizens through e-Government network.
• The possibility of supporting the Higher Council for Planning and Development with accurate data that improves credibility more than other types of data that is gathered in traditional methods and might include carelessness of surveyor or might include recording more than one application without going to the actual location.
• The possibility that the National GIS Centre depends on a population, housing, and service database in a flexible manner that agrees with its actual geographical locations to allows all GIS units in ministries and authorities to make good use of it without referring to official offices that proved useless in terms of time and data type.
• The possibility of supporting public service systems such as electricity, water, telephone, and other services based on accurate and quick census data that is connected to its actual location. This will facilitate planning and follow-up to locate shortages in services and suggest appropriate solutions.

References in Arabic:

1. Muhammad Al-Khozami Aziz (2002), The Project of Establishing the National GIS Centre in the State of Kuwait, the First Regional Conference for GIS, the Institute for Information Technology, Cairo, April 2002.
2. Mohamed Al-Khuzami Aziz (2003), Methodology of Designing the National Spatial Data Directory for the National GIS Centre in the State of Kuwait, the First Regional Conference for GIS, the Institute for Information Technology, Cairo, April 2003.
3. Mohamed Al-Khuzami Aziz (2004), GIS: Geographical Basics and Applications, reference, Encyclopaedia Establishment in Alexandria, Third Edition, 580 pages.

References in English:

1. Ahnon Pasi, GIS and e-Government, e-Government in Regions Conference, Katowice, Poland, March 2004.
2. Aljasim Waleed, GIS @ Kuwait Municipality, Kuwait GIS-ESRI Usre's Conference, March 2004.
3. Gnaege H.R., Palbst, S., Zwei Wege zur Geodateninfrastruktur: Modelbrasierter Datenaustausch und GeoWebServiecs im Internet, Seminar Geoin formations systeme, TU Muenchen, Marz 2004.
4. Kaylor Charles and Freeman Mike, GIS: Catalyst for e-Government Development, a collaborative paper, PSI Group and HDR Management Consulting, 2004.
5. Shah Karami, Mo et al, National Origin-Destination Survey Databank: Web Enabled GIS, Integrated Transport Economics and Appraisal Division, Dept for Transport, UK.
6. Teege Gunnar, Application of Open GIS Web services in the "Real Estate" Domain, Munich, Germany, 2004.
7. Warren David, URL to USL Web enabled GIS, GID Development.net, Gita 2000.