PN demands explanations for digital systems crash
Opposition seeks a meeting of the parliamentary committee on information technology
The Opposition has called for a meeting of the parliamentary committee on information technology to discuss Tuesday's outage of the government’s digital systems.
"The digital infrastructure cannot be allowed to remain so weak," shadow minister Darren Carabott said in a statement.
He said that it appeared that the eID system crashed when a large number of students logged in to see their MATSEC results. The crash blocked access to several other essential public services, including MyHealth, eCourts, eApps, MyTax, the Planning Authority and the Malta Business Registry system.
"The public has a right to a clear explanation about what caused the eID digital platform to collapse, particularly since this incompetence affected not only students, but also patients and doctors seeking access to medical results, lawyers who could not access the court website, architects and anyone needing to use the Planning Authority’s website, as well as the financial sector, which was unable to access the tax and company registry websites, among others," Carabott wrote.
He said the PN expects the government to provide a full account of what happened, explain what preventive and contingency measures were in place, and outline the steps that will be taken to ensure that a similar situation does not arise again.
"Digital transformation cannot be credible unless the systems on which citizens, businesses and professionals depend are secure, reliable and capable of coping with demand. The government must shoulder responsibility and provide the answers to which the public is entitled, Carabott said.
He also expressed solidarity with the students who could not access their results.