Technical difficulties with the ICEE platform, currently in its testing phase, are preventing some families from completing and submitting their declarations. The issue has been raised by CSdL and CDLS, which are calling for improvements to the IT system while confirming their willingness to help citizens with the process.
The problems mainly affect households with at least two adult members, for whom a joint authorization compliant with privacy regulations is currently being prepared. The system allows individual authorizations to be filled out, but struggles to link them together within the same household.
“The system currently allows each individual authorization to be completed electronically, but it does not facilitate linking it with the other members of the same household,” the two confederations explain. “This complexity could prevent the online procedure from being completed correctly and the declaration from being confirmed on the dedicated platform.”
Another issue concerns the data citizens are asked to provide in order to determine the Indicator of Economic Condition for Equity (ICEE). Consumer associations affiliated with the two unions have objected to the requirement to submit information that public offices already hold.
“Furthermore, the respective Consumer Associations have already pointed out that the burden of providing information already in the Administration’s possession — such as household utility accounts — cannot be placed on families. A request has therefore been submitted to modify the IT system accordingly,” the statement reads.
The process is instead easier for single-person and single-parent households. In these cases, CSdL and CDLS explain, entering the electronic authorization allows the necessary information and documents to be uploaded in order to determine the economic and asset indicator. To complete the procedure, however, all adult members of the household must be registered on the gov.sm portal.
In the meantime, the unions are offering guidance to help identify the required data, prepare the necessary documentation, and upload it to the platform. For assistance, citizens can contact the Centrale Sindacale Unitaria at 0549 962011, CSdL at 0549 962070, or CDLS at 0549 962080.
The two confederations are urging the relevant offices to quickly resolve the technical anomalies, “in order to ensure that all types of households have full access to the procedure and can properly complete the required steps.”
