G.O.B. launches website
If you have access to the Internet, you probably use it to find information from other countries. But now, you can find out about your own country and how it is governed. Today News Five attended the launch of G.O.B.’s website.
The Belize Government website will give visitors to the site immediate access to information on the government and the country.
Vaughn Gill, Head, Government Press Office
“First of all the site is available for everyone throughout the world. We have it for students studying abroad doing research on Belize, Belizean students studying abroad and also at home and anyone in general could log in twenty four hours a day and have instant access to the information from the government of Belize.”
There is information on the Prime Minister’s Office that includes a profile on the P.M., a photo album and important addresses. Another section features the Cabinet and all the ministers. The page gives a personal profile on each minister and their responsibilities. The press office site covers press releases, Cabinet briefings and general government publications which can be ordered. “
According to Vaughn Gill, Head of the Government Press Office, this site should be of particular interest to media houses.
Vaughn Gill
“With releases going out to the media, there used to be a delay. Sometimes as much as forty five minutes to an hour difference between the first who receives it and the last and it used to cause problems especially in the competitiveness of the media in Belize. Now everybody gets their press release the same time.”
Q: “How will you ensure that information will be kept updated?”
Vaughn Gill
“We have a staff that will be working full time on the site and their job is on a daily basis to update the information. The press releases updated in real time, the Cabinet briefing is updated on a weekly basis. If you look, if the Prime Minister is on a tour this week let’s say Dangriga you can expect in a day or two following, this information along with photos will be pumped into the site. So it will be updated regularly.”
The website, which can be accessed by logging into www.belize.gov.bz was created by the government and Netkom Internet Solutions which designed the website.
Demian Solano, Netkom Internet Solutions
“It is very encouraging for us to see that steps are being taken towards the empowerment of Belizean people through the use of information technology. At Netkom we share the government’s determination that some public policy cannot be developed in a vacuum and that extensive interaction with the people is essential.”
Mark Espat, Minister of Tourism, Information and Broadcasting
“This is just the beginning my friends. Several ministries have already embarked on computer based re-engineering. For example the Ministry of Finance, supported by the Government of the United Kingdom is presently executing a financial management development program that seeks to computerize the budget and formulation and management process of the public sector. Other government bodies such as the Belize Tourism Board capitalize on the use of Internet and Intranet to optimize their efficiency in customer service and inter-office communication.
And just last week as a result of the cooperation with the Interamerican Development Bank our ministry hosted consultants along with their Belizean counterparts have begun to develop a framework for bringing online many more of government services.”
Although the new website was officially launched today the site has been online for several weeks.
The government website address is: www.belize.gov.bz.
