(wanted to write this in Greek, but my spelling is horrible…sorry)

A simple idea, and forgive me if anyone has already suggested it, is something that has been implemented successfully in Canada. To make a long story short here it is: http://www.bizpal.ca/index_e.shtml

A simple way of informing anyone who is asking the question «how do I get?», or «what do I need?» in terms of a licence or a permit to start or expand a business so that he or she can be in compliance with the municipal and/or federal laws/regulations.

Starting and running a business should be faster and easier in Greece. Entrepreneurs using this online wizard will spend their time growing their business instead of lining up at government offices and wasting their time trying to figure out how to comply with government regulations for a particular type of business.

Say I want to start a restaurant in a city called «Z». Obviously I’ll need some permits from the city, maybe from the health authorities, maybe a liquor licence or a parking lot permit etc. If I had a list of «things to do» then I would most certainly be a lot more motivated to kick start the process to invest, instead of being totally turned off and in my head saying «screw it, too complicated, can’t get anywhere, I am taking my money and going elsewhere…».

Hope I have inspired someone with this idea to fight bureaucracy and promote investments IN A VERY PRACTICAL WAY.

Tony.

(As a footnote, based on past experiences, I don’t think that technology can bring governance change. Unless the culture changes to accommodate new ideas, often technology in government brings along expensive closet-ware, i.e. stuff you put in closets and forget about them when the government-program money that tried to implement them runs dry from all the «academic» debates. There is a need for an accountable business model behind any idea that attempts to use technology to change and improve governance, otherwise its a failure from the get go. There is a long discussion behind this thought, I am sure.)