open government - Freddy Mariñez Navarro (38 pages)

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2.a.1 Transparency

Today we are finding new clues to the definition of transparency, so we wonder what the Open

Government transparency needed? The opening of the information flow, as it is defined in the

context of the relationship between government and citizens plunges us to the concept of the new

transparency that explains how public organizations and governmental actors are increasingly

faced with the demands of society to reveal information. That is, force the government and the

civic sector to an open society movement. Now is not the time when governments passively

provided information only on the request and governmental discretion, but the requirement for

more active engagement in public information, communicate internal operations management.

Therefore, the relationship between transparency, information and democracy is fundamental and

basic. Information because it helps the democratic powers such as the formulation of preferences

and opinions and participation proven, because it provides significant elements in the making of

public decisions. Archon Fung and David Weil (2010), explained in terms of transparency that

“…….

should be aware of two major pitfalls that may mar this achievement. The first, is that

government transparency, though driven by progressive impulses, may draw excessive attention

to government´s mistakes and so have the consequence of reinforcing a conservative image of

government as incompetent and corrupt. The second is that all this energy devoted to making

open government comes at the expenses of leaving the operations of large private sector

organizations –banks, manufacturers, health providers, food producers, drug companies, and the

like- opaque and secret” (2010: 106)

Access to public information are taking a renewed emphasis worldwide, reflected by the

following trends: one, to visions of government reform that presses the openness and

transparency, and two, the increased availability and continuous development of information

technology (ICT) that enables institutions, organizations and individuals looking in the same

way, and to share, combine and reuse the content of government information

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. For Albert J.

Meijer (2012), in this era of open government (Government transparency), one of the key issues

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Information based on new technologies (ICTs) to inform the public emerges in the 90s with the growth of e-

government, and this has contributed to government transparency. Today, the tendency is to see ministries,
departments and agencies internally putting electronic datasets for public use on new government-wide website and
Data.gov, an essential element of the Open Government designed to facilitate access to the data set federal
government level in order to increase public understanding of the operations, advances governmental mission,
creating economic opportunities and increased transparency, accountability and responsibility.