GERMAN software giant SAP says it can help government agencies become more transparent.

The global company specialises in enterprise software, which performs tasks that used to be handled by people shuffling piles of forms from desk to desk.

In a sales pitch to Jamaica's public sector, the company said it had developed two dozen applications that would help government agencies run more smoothly.

"We're starting with the public sector because there's a significant opportunity for public sector agencies to be more efficient and more transparent," said SAP territory manager Clive Allen.

Although the Government might not have a lot of capital to spend on software, it needs to invest in itself in order to save money in the long run, he said.

"Our human capital software, for example, won't give you an immediate return but it will be able to tell you if your staff is efficient and how much you have to pay over in the next month."

This ability to quantify efficiency and forecast spending would go a long way in IMF negotiations, he said.