Republic of China and G.O.B. renews its ICT project

Since its establishment in 2006, the Information Communication Technology project, an agreement between the Government of Belize and the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), has seen the construction of a three million dollar ICT Center in Belmopan.  The joint undertaking has provided training for public servants in various capacities so as to improve organizational competence, particularly in the areas of e-government and e-governance.  This morning, Financial Secretary Joe Waight and Ambassador David Wu were on hand to sign a renewal of that agreement which will be extended for an additional five years. 

Ambassador David Wu, Republic of China (Taiwan)

David Wu

“Today we renew the agreement between our two countries because the first agreement was signed in May of the year 2009 which lasted for five years.  It will expire in May of the year 2014 which is why today, this morning, we renew, extend this agreement from the year 2014 to the year 2019.  So the first agreement, this agreement will be the foundation for our collaboration between Taiwan and Belize in the following five years.  Based on this agreement then we will have some new projects which will be [a joint partnership] between the ICT Center and our technical mission.  In my hand I have the project that we signed this morning, that is another agreement.  This agreement is for the cooperation between the ICT Center and our technical mission, including the establishment of the supply control unit for six government agencies, including the Bureau of Standards, Agriculture, BAHA, Forest Department, Fisheries, Customs and Excise Department.  Six government agencies will be included for the signing of the agreement of the new project which will be held within five years span starting from this year.  And the budget, the Government of Taiwan will offer three million Belize dollars for the following five years for this new project and the Government of Belize will also offer six hundred, forty thousand Belizean dollars for the new project.”

Joseph Waight, Financial Secretary, Ministry of Finance

“So indeed the commitment on the part of the Government of Belize is to run and to operate the system once it’s up, to work in the development and the ongoing operation of the system once it’s implemented and established.”

The revitalized partnership will see the development of the Belize Electronic Licenses and Permits System.