3.0 E-GOVERNMENT STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK 3.1 PUBLIC SECTOR INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT The Government of Belize will build out a world-class Government Wide-Area Network (GOVNET) for the Belize public sector using common and shared platforms that enable delivery of robust, seamless, user-friendly, endto-end E-Government and ICT services internally and to external clients. It will take the steps necessary to design and deploy a central enterprise infrastructure and platforms for Government-related ICT services to simplify and standardise infrastructure and management, reduce costs and complexity, and improve security. It will establish a network connecting all ministries, departments and agencies and a fully redundant data centre to house its critical systems. Every effort will be taken to standardise and share core services such as email and voice communications. A common e-services platform will be developed so that there is a standard methodology for deploying e-services across all ministries as these services become available. PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS Following are four projects which have been identified to give effect to this strategic objective: 1. Network Consolidation – Multi-tiered GOVNET The Government will implement a wide area network (GovNet) building upon existing network infrastructure to develop a robust, resilient, secure, high speed, fully redundant backbone to seamlessly connect all Ministries, Departments and Agencies. The network will be designed to enable Government to consolidate core services such as voice and data access, email and shared e-services platforms 2. Systems Consolidation - Data Centres The Government will establish a Data Centre to house computer systems and associated components for all Ministries, Agencies and Departments. The data centre will be fully redundant, secure and facilitate the sharing of core e-government applications, providing storage and backup facilities. It will also serve as a network operations centre (NOC) for the GovNet and will be equipped to provide network monitoring and first level technical support services for all of Government. As part of its business continuity planning the Government will establish backup site which will enable it to continue to function and operate in the event of a failure of its main data centre. Additionally, the Government will utilise renewable energy systems and green solutions in the implementation of its data centres. 14