A team from the Caribbean Open Institute, collaborated with the World Bank and the Ministry of Telecommunications, Science and Technology, in Antigua to conduct an Open Data Readiness Assessment study, evaluating Antigua and Barbuda’s readiness for adopting an open data initiative, which could become a template for Open Data that could be adapted and replicated regionally.

Members of the COI team included: Dr. Maurice McNaughton, Mona School of Business & Management UWI, Jamaica, Dr. Patrick Hosein, UWI, St Augustine; Amparo Arango, Fundacion Taiguey, Dominican Republic. The World Bank team was led by Andrew Stott, a senior consultant with the World Bank together with Axel Rifon;

The following links for more information on this initiative:

• News Story: Open Data Readiness Assessment Underway In Antigua
• Press Launch: Open Data Readiness Assessment Underway In Antigua

Update - June 20, 2013

The findings from the Antigua/Barbuda Open Data Readiness Assessment, carried out by officials from the World Bank, the International Development Research Centre of Canada, and the Caribbean Open Institute. have been released. Overall the assessment found that Antigua and Barbuda is in a position to move forward quickly with an Open Data initiative.

As such, the Ministry of Telecommunications, Science and Technology will on July 1st 2013, operationalise an Open Data Readiness Unit (ODRU) which will manage the governments open data initiative.

This important development will provide a useful template for other countries in the region. FOr more on this story:

• Antigua And Barbuda To Establish Open Data Readiness Unit
• Antigua Open Data Readiness Assessment Report