2.4 THE CENTRAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY OFFICE (CITO) The role of CITO, a department of Belize’s Ministry of Finance, in respect of all of the above is vital. The Office was established in 2004 with a mandate to provide strategic ICT services to the public sector as a whole. It operates the largest Government Wide Area Network (GWAN) due to the pervasive nature of the applications it deploys and supports. These applications include Government’s accounting and taxation systems as well as its email services. Due to its wide reach, CITO is well positioned to take a lead role in the implementation, supervision and monitoring of a National E-Government Policy for Belize. Indeed, it has the basic internal capacity to drive efforts for a more strategic and collaborative approach to infrastructure deployment and management in the Belize public sector. In order for this to become a reality, however, CITO will require appropriate levels of authority, administrative support, human, technical and financial resources to function effectively and to inspire the confidence of the wider public sector in its ability to deliver. It is likely also to require some degree of organisational realignment and/or upgrade in order to cope effectively with what is likely to be a broader and more demanding mandate. At the moment, CITO is committed to providing efficient ICT systems management, support and development services for Government’s WAN. According to its website, it “strives to ensure that the Public Service in Belize is among the world leaders in the effective exploitation of new and emerging Information and Communication Technologies in the delivery of its services”. Based on key findings and the perspectives of stakeholders, there is a relatively high degree of confidence in CITO as a potential champion for this E-Government Policy. Section 5 of this document addresses more fully the role of CITO in this regard, even as it outlines the institutional framework required within the wider public sector for the EGovernment Policy to become a lived exercise. Part of that process will require Government as a whole to integrate its various ICT-related activities into frameworks that allow for more effective collaboration and communication, as well as improved sharing of information and resources at all levels. It is therefore important to note the following concepts, plans, proposals and/or projects relevant to the E-Government Policy that are already in train in Belize: 1. Government of Belize Wide Area Network – fibre ring (CITO, Belize Telemedia Ltd); 2. Government of Belize Financial and Taxation Systems (CITO); 3. Belize Electronic Licences and Permit System – BELAPS (CITO, Forestry, Fisheries, Agriculture, BAHA (Belize Agricultural Health Authority), Customs, Supplies Control Unit, Government of Taiwan); 4. Supplies Control ASYCUDA Interface (CITO, Government of Taiwan); 5. International Merchant Marines Registry of Belize – Ships’ Registry (Ministry of Finance); 6. Tourism Data Management System (Belize Tourism Board, IDB); 7. HIPCAR (Harmonisation of Regional ICT-Related Legislation); 8. Human Resource Management Information System (Ministry of the Public Service); 9. Transportation Master Plan (Ministry responsible for Transportation, Republic of South Korea); 10. Belize Health Information Service (Ministry responsible for Health); 38