GovTech Barbados launches test site to unify, simplify public services

Barbadians are getting their first look at a new digital platform designed to make government services easier to find, understand and use.

The site, alpha.gov.bb, is part of GovTech Barbados’ broader mission to unify the government’s online presence and deliver services that are intuitive, consistent and built around citizen needs. It will eventually replace the current gov.bb portal.

“We need to move away from these big projects that take months or years to deliver, only for people to still have trouble using them,” said Mark Boyce, CEO of GovTech Barbados. “The idea is to show citizens early progress, listen to what they say, and use that feedback to guide what we build next.”

The alpha site offers a simplified starting point: clear service “entry pages” that explain who a service is for, what documents are needed, how long it takes, and where to go. It’s a small but strategic shift towards transparency and ease of use.

“It may not sound like much, but having clear, accurate information on how to access a government service is the first step in getting anything done. Right now, that information is often hard to find, incomplete, or out of date,” Boyce said.

GovTech’s approach reflects a “whole-of-government” commitment to digital transformation – one that prioritises usability over bureaucracy. In the coming months, the team will roll out service improvements in rapid cycles, guided by citizen feedback and supported by “citizen panels” to better understand public frustrations.

Another key goal is to standardise how services look and behave across departments.

“Because services are built by different departments with no consistent approach, they often look and behave differently. To citizens, it should feel as if they’re interacting with one government, not multiple separate entities,” Boyce added.

Barbadians are invited to explore the new platform and help shape how it evolves by visiting alpha.gov.bb.

(PR)