The BNGIS Centre Implements Phase 1 of its Technology Infrastructure
Improvements Project 2008

When it comes down to the practical and efficient use of modern technologies such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) The BNGIS Centre’s vision is to create a system for the collection, storage, management and sharing of non-confidential spatial information on The Bahamas. As such the Technology Infrastructure Improvements project was designed and implemented in June 2008.

This project is the IT component of the larger proposed Bahamas Spatial Data Infrastructure (BSDI) system. BSDI is a system comprising skillful people, IT assets, GIS software, standards, procedures, policy and legislation all working in unison to develop and maintain a repository of spatial data freely shared across government and through other sharing mechanisms with other interests.

The BSDI system proposed for The Bahamas is a strategic national plan to develop a readily available set of basic geographic data. It includes the information, operational environment, and technology to provide access to these data, and the institutional setting to sustain its development. As such BNGIS Centre in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance implemented the Technology Infrastructure Improvements Project in July 2008. The project was funded by the BNGIS Centre including cost associated with consultancy services and procurement of systems and associated parts. Administrative and Technical support was provided by the staff of the Centre, Department of Information Technology and resources from participating agencies.

Project Goals and Objectives

The goal of the project was to implement geographic Information systems technology that will support the ongoing development of The Bahamas Spatial Data Infrastructure (BSDI) and facilitate government wide sharing of spatial information. The Project activities included:

1. Development of a Service Level Agreement between the Centre and the Department of Information Technology (DIT) for sharing responsibilities relative to the BSDI system.
2. Re-location of BNGIS Centre's GIS IT assets to the DIT located in Downtown Nassau.
3. Configuration of BNGIS Centre's IT assets (hardware and software) once located in DIT.
4. Connectivity of GIS Centre staff to the BSDI databases.
5. Audit of the government wide area network (GWAN) to identify any short term or long term issues relating to the effective implementation of the BSDI.
6. Report describing findings from discussions with IT professionals, general observations, identified GWAN issues and recommendations to efficiently advance BSDI development.
7. Development of GIS Internet application for demonstrating the potential of GIS.
8. Testing the system.
9. Documentation and implementation of a new customer service process for responding to user requests for access to GIS and customer help with existing access to GIS.

The benefit of The BSDI and technology improvements Project is that staff across government can access geospatial information from a central location while enabling a broader and simultaneous analysis of interrelated departmental information. This benefit could not be realized previously and it is anticipated that The BSDI initiative now under consideration will advance the use of GIS throughout the Civil Service. This increases the potential for policy makers within The Bahamas Government hierarchy to shape better policies in priority areas such as crime, land administration, environmental and heritage protection, disaster preparedness, marine management etc. as well as streamline government services through automation of many manual processes currently performed.