agencies; and c) facilitate collaboration amongst public servants. Initiatives in this area contribute toward Public Sector Reform. For the private sector, the Government will serve commercial entities that consume government services through improved service delivery methods. These e-Services would facilitate the ease of doing business, both in starting and operating a business in the country. For the constituents that it serves, the Government will leverage ICT to better share information in order to improve transparency and demonstrate accountability. 3.5 E FFECTIVE C ROSS -F UNCTIONAL C OLLABORATION The Government of Belize will develop programmes and initiatives to build capacity for e-Government-related research and innovation, dissolve existing unproductive silos, improve collaboration, increase knowledge exchange, and support the sharing of experiences across Government. PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS 1. IT Networking Forum The Government will establish an IT Networking Forum as outlined in the e-Government Policy. Its core mandate will be to ensure at a technical and operational level that there is collaboration in the implementation and management of ICT systems in Government. This Forum will form one of the core working groups under the Governance Structure that will give rise to ongoing cross functional collaboration. 2. Online Forum The Government will establish an online forum to disseminate information, facilitate discussions and receive recommendations from internal stakeholders. This forum will be open to all stakeholders, technical and non-technical, and will provide an avenue through which innovative suggestions might be communicated, analysed and implemented where feasible. 3. E-Government ICT Collaboration Award The Government in collaboration with the private sector will establish an annual award in recognition of innovative solutions with a focus on cross functional collaboration across whole of government, particularly for those solutions that bring about dramatic improvements in service delivery. OUTCOMES AND BENEFITS These initiatives are designed to improve the efficiency of government processes and the effectiveness of government policies, ensuring sound ICT investment, usage and cross functional efficiency. 19