Bid to bridge digital divide proving successful

The government has started the process to provide free e-mail services to all the people, Justice and Local Government Minister Austin Gatt said.

He said all people would be receiving a notice advising them to go to the respective local council to apply for the service. They would be given an address and a password on the spot.

Local council employees had been trained in January and dedicated help lines would be available to assist individuals in their queries.

Dr Gatt, who was speaking during the inauguration of a myWeb course by the eMalta Commission, said e-mail was recognised as being the most widely used application on the web.

In these last 14 months, he said, the commission and the ministry had worked to bridge the digital divide between those who understood computers and those who did not.

"Together we have not only succeeded in bridging the divide but transformed it into a unique opportunity to improve the quality of life of our citizens.

"We are closing the circle of including every single individual in the eMalta project and making information communication technology part of their everyday lives," Dr Gatt said.