Open Government Ecosystem; Will It Happen for Belize?

The Open Government Ecosystem in Belize is a system that encourages direct and constant communication between governments and citizens so as to promote transparency and democracy. In essence, the approach should help to define public policies and management practices based on openness, accountability, and easy access to public information. For several months, the project is being rolled out, led by the Organization of American States in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy in Belize and The Trust for the Americas. A training, the third of its kind, was held today with civil society organizations to discuss how open data can create better services and promote social and economic development in communities in Belize. Henry Wade of the Trust for the Americas tells us more about the initiative.

Henry Wade

Henry Wade, Local Coordinator, Trust for the Americas

“The session today is an online training course that is targeting Civil Society Organizations and we are sharing with them concepts on open government and open data. This is the third of four sessions, two having taken place last week and the week before in the month of August. And we have another one taking place next week right here at this location at BTEC. But this training, or this activity, provides a small portion of a larger project that we have going on right here in Belize. The project is entitled “promoting an ecosystem government in Belize.”

Andrea Polanco

“When we talk about Open Government, what does that mean?”

Henry Wade

“It is a fairly new concept in Belize and it speaks to greater transparency in Government. It speaks to more collaboration between the Government and the public, inclusive of C.S.O.’s, N.G.O.’s, journalists, different groups within the public’s sphere for collaboration in terms of government’s services for the general public. So, it is a fairly new concept but it is one that we believe is really needed here in Belize.”