The government was still waiting for a reply from Brussels for EU funding to replace ID cards with a more sophisticated electronic version, IT Minister Austin Gatt said.

Electronic ID cards would be an additional service to the government's extensive online portfolio, which has just been ranked first in the EU league table comparing e-government services across the member states.

Dr Gatt was speaking at a press conference on Thursday during which the results of the EU benchmarking exercise were announced. Malta ranked first, one place better than the last survey conducted two years ago. The ranking is based on criteria ranging from availability of online services to the level of sophistication, user experience and e-procurement.

The result was greeted with satisfaction by Dr Gatt, who said it was particularly welcome as the concept of e-government was only launched nine years ago.

Online government services, he said, registered some four million transactions a month and the payment gateway handled about €40 million per year.

When asked whether IT use would be extended to the voting process, Dr Gatt said the problem was not technological but one of mentality. "Many people are afraid to use computers to submit their vote because they fear it would change while being processed," he said, insisting politicians were not the problem.

ksansone@timesofmalta.com