First Ever Belize Open Week
Open Government in Belmopan? Well, it may not be farfetched. A first activity on the concept of opening up government and freeing up data is taking place. Belize Open Week is currently looking at the release of digital information that is created by government institutions and how it can be used as a resource to create value. The event is sponsored by the Organization of American States and Trust of the Americas in partnership with the government. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
Day-one of the first ever Belize Open Week, organized by the Organization of American States and the Trust for the Americas, in partnership with the Government of Belize and Civil Society Organizations, was held today at the ITVET Compound in Belize City. It’s provides one-on-one sessions with public and civil society stakeholders on what the concept of open government is all about and for them to participate in the co-creation of the processes. Local Coordinator Henry Wade says it is about starting the groundwork and planting the seeds for open government and open data in Belize.
Henry Wade
Henry Wade, Local Coordinator, Trust for the Americas
“There are several activities built into the project. As you mentioned, we had training sessions for government partners and participants, followed by training for CSOs on open government and open data and now we are following up with the first ever Belize Open Week. This is the first and it is in collaboration with Developing the Caribbean, DevCa, so it is quite an important event for the country. We’ve having training workshops done by international experts who’ve come from all over the world; the Caribbean and Central and South America to be here to share their knowledge, skills and expertise.”
The four-day forum will look at how data on Belizeans, available in a unique format—whether obtained from departments like the registry or public hospitals and the like, can impact the quality of the services delivered to the citizenry in a transparent and engaging way. O.A.S. Specialist on Effective Management, Mike Mora says that the data, however, cannot violate an individual’s privacy or threaten the national security of the country.
Mike Mora
Mike Mora, Specialist, Department of Effective Management, O.A.S.
“There are certain principles of open data and there are certain things when opening data, needs to be looked at. The first one is to make sure that you don’t open information that violates the privacy of the citizen if there is personal information there. So there should be certain considerations made with the handling of personal information. And there are policies and standards that need to be followed that are in compliance with international and national law and data protection. And the second thing is that you don’t want to also open that information that may compromise the national security of the country as well.”
Open data is not only to have the information available in a digital format, but also for respective organizations and individuals to use and reuse the data to know public transportation information, available medical facilities in the area, among other services. Of the thirty-five member states of the O.A.S., most countries have embraced the open government partnership.
Rodrigo Iriani
Rodrigo Iriani, Project Manager, Trust for the Americas
“After this nine-month, ten-month implementation period, we are opening a call for proposal aimed to promote different initiatives—innovative ideas from Civil Society. So we will open a fund intended to award up to ten innovative ideas with up to five thousand U.S. dollars. The main component should be collaboration; can be in different areas: health, transportation, environment, education. It has to be an initiative implemented by a civil society organization or a university or a media outlet in collaboration with a public institution so we will be opening this call for proposals in November and this initiative should be implemented within the first six month so 2019.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
