Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1254962
adapts to COVID-19 04.06.2020 04.06.2020 11 If it weren't for their knowl- edge, skills and forethought, we wouldn't have managed. The transition has been a time of learning, adjustment and troubleshooting as em- ployees get accustomed to new routines and tech equip- ment." Then came the Authority's decision for Planning Board sessions to go digital rather than be stalled. From the pub- lic's perspective, this has been transformative. Rather than meeting in person to decide on development applications, the Boards now meet on- line – and the public can also join the online conference. In so doing, the Authority has maintained accessibility to the Boards, thereby ensuring transparency around deliber- ations and decisions boosting its accessibility. According to Cassar, "This would have been impossible were it not for the Authori- ty's insistence on having our systems programmed by an in-house development team, rather than being externally sourced." "We often get asked about the tangible benefits of in- vesting in IT," continues Ms Dobreva, "because it's some- times seen as the funnelling of money into an insurance that you're not using; but, ul- timately, it will save you. At the Authority, we weren't pre- pared because we knew Cov- id-19 was coming; we were prepared because we invested in a sector that strengthens the core of our business." "It was our robust team of in-house programmers and hardware support experts that enabled us to act so quickly," reiterates Ing. Fer- rito. "Because of this, for the most part, the Authority's work hasn't been disrupted, and we're witnessing encour- aging and progressive change. "Without Periti, applicants and our employees driving to the Authority and getting stuck in traffic, everyone is saving that precious resource: time. And that's without even mentioning the positive envi- ronmental impact. The sys- tem is of course not without its problems, like occasional technical issues, but the alter- native of our work grinding to a halt wasn't an option." The pandemic is proving to be a tipping point for the digital transformation of the workplace. The question is, will the drive to 'go digital' be shelved once the emergency subsides? While it is still early days for the Authority to de- clare what the new 'business as usual' will look like, Ing. Ferrito asserts that there are lessons to be carried forward. "During this pandemic, the Authority has successfully continued its primary busi- ness, but working entirely re- motely in the long term is un- sustainable. However, we've received an overwhelmingly positive response to our on- line Board sessions – particu- larly from Periti. So, person- ally, I see no reason why we can't develop a hybrid system. "At the Authority, our tech vision since 2007 has been to adopt the latest technology to increase efficiency and give a better service to our clients. Now, through our online Boards and e-systems, we're also becoming increasingly accessible to all stakeholders. Most importantly, though, our ICT investments make us more transparent to the pub- lic – and this will definitely continue," Ing. Ferrito Ferrito concludes. "It was our robust team of in-house programmers and hardware support experts that enabled us to act so quickly. Because of this, for the most part, the Authority's work hasn't been disrupted, and we're witnessing encouraging and progressive change"