A lottery system registration process for the subsidised summer camp programme that had to be completely rerun because of technical problems has been successful, a government spokeswoman said.

Issues were initially said to have arisen because of the wording of notification e-mails and the clarity of instructions to parents signing up for Camp Connect, while the official portal generated maintenance notices and payments could not be processed.

It was found the issues were potentially related to a cloud-based service outage outside Bermuda affecting how internet traffic was routed and managed across the region.

The platform, originally scheduled to launch in April, was opened for registrations on May 5 but parents continued to encounter problems and, eventually, a rerun of the entire process was required.

The government spokeswoman said: “The Camp Connect lottery rerun was completed successfully and the system is now operating as intended, with all allocation rules functioning correctly.

“The ministry acknowledges that there were some issues and inquiries during registration including payment queries, camp placement concerns and questions about the lottery process.

“These were addressed promptly and it is worth noting that high inquiry volumes are typical each year due to strong demand and limited spaces. Based on current observations, activity this year is broadly consistent with previous years.”

She said that in total, 1,010 applications were received and 848 children were successfully placed.

Not all applicants were able to secure their first-choice placement because of capacity constraints, as in previous years.

Although the Government has boosted numbers of camp spaces, this year it encountered practical constraints.

The spokeswoman added: “This year saw a reduction in available spaces, driven by rising operating costs for providers and ongoing challenges securing suitable venues, particularly in August when school facilities must be returned for the new academic year.

“Despite these constraints, 30 camps participated in the programme.

“Additional government funding supported expanded participation from private providers and increased capacity within government-run camps, helping to maximise available placements.”

She said about five refund requests had been received so far, which is considered low and reflects “the swift implementation of interim measures once issues were identified”.

Camp Connect was launched in May of 2024 by the Department of Sport and Recreation, which administers the programme but does not oversee or control the platform's technical infrastructure, software development activities or system implementation.

The department team won the Government’s Public Service Excellence Award that June for its work in “planning and delivering Camp Connect, a low-cost, high-quality summer camp programme for Bermuda's youth and families”.

Camp Connect is part of the broader digital transformation programme with Bermuda telecommunications firm Paradise Mobile with Abacus Cambridge as part of a $2,076,734 contract.

The Government has not provided the amount that was allocated specifically to Camp Connect part of that contract.

The digital transformation programme was designed to build “a smarter, AI-powered digital Bermuda where residents and businesses can access government services seamlessly through one connected platform”.

Paradise Mobile serves as the programme delivery partner and is responsible for overall programme management and oversight.

Abacus Cambridge was engaged as the software development partner responsible for the platform’s technical architecture, software development, system functionality and implementation of the registration process.

The spokeswoman confirmed that Paradise Mobile and Abacus Cambridge remained “engaged partners” under their existing budgeted agreement.

She added: “We will continue to engage with stakeholders and listen to feedback from parents to strengthen and improve the range of summer offerings available.

“Supporting families is a priority.

“The Government remains committed to helping busy parents and hard-working families, and expanding access to quality summer day camps is one of the practical ways we are delivering on that commitment.”