IT solutions and services provider arivia.kom has announced the arrival of the PAIApac solution developed by its Focused Business Solutions division. This home-grown solution helps South African companies comply with the requirements of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) 2000.
The Act outlines the constitutional right of access to individual`s information and ensures that persons can obtain access to records they might require for the exercise or protection of their rights, as swiftly, inexpensively and effortlessly as possible. A manual, which must be produced by all companies describing their company information and access, is required by February 2003.
"Companies which have not yet made efforts to comply need to do so soon," says Leora Levy, business consultant for arivia.kom. "The required manual for each company has to be at the government printer by February 2003, which means companies need to start now in order to complete it in time. Failure to comply with PAIA could mean that individuals responsible for handling PAIA requests, such as information officers, could face a term in jail."
[VIDEO]The PAIApac solution was developed for arivia.kom client Eskom, and was successfully implemented by October 2002. It is now on offer to the South African public and private organisations.
"Eskom, being large and multifaceted, was a good testing ground for the integrity of the solution, from the business analysis, right through to the successful deployment of the solutions to manage the processing of requests and responses.
"We are now offering PAIApac to other South African companies to enable them to comply easily with the Act."
While there is a looming deadline for compliance with PAIA, the Act should not be viewed as punitive, since it enables a society in which citizens can fully exercise and protect their constitutional rights, says Levy. "There is an increasing focus on good corporate governance, transparency and accountability in SA. This requires proper processing and storage of information and thus complying with the Act is an opportunity to develop comprehensive and effective information management, as well as good information management policies and systems.
"Furthermore, being able to respond timeously with the correct information develops a more positive public image for the company as it is seen to be more open and transparent. Internally, relations between management and staff could also be improved."
Levy adds that opting for arivia.kom`s assistance in the implementation of PAIApac ensures that clients will benefit from arivia.kom`s knowledge of the Act, as well as its experience and track record developed during the implementation of the PAIA infrastructure for Eskom, one of the largest public bodies in SA.
"Our clients can benefit from the skills and expertise our PAIApac teams have for developing procedures, standard forms and letters and for leading and managing the project.
"We also understand the importance of communication and training in a process like this and will handle communication with stakeholders, change management and skills transfer where required."
The PAIApac solution encompasses a range of deliverables: from the setting up of the required manual and deputy information officer positions, through to the provision of a toolset for the processing of requests and compilation of notice letters, to change management through new role profiles and capacity building, skills transfer and the automation of key processes using the Internet, intranets and online forms.
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