According to the 2014 GIS Report, the department is in need of a new vehicle. The Department has one 2006 Dodge Ram 1500, seen here stalled on the James Walter Francis Dual Carriageway back in October 26, 2015. Photo: VINO/File

The 2014 GIS Report has revealed how the department has faced various challenges, including lack of human resources and equipment to perform its mandated functions. Photo: VINO

The public agency Government Information Service (GIS), responsible for keeping the public, the voters and the world up to date on what all arms of the Administration are doing with our tax dollars, themselves face daily frustrations, lack of tools to work with and lack of human resources, at least according to their 2014 Annual Report laid in the House of Assembly on April 18, 2017.

In the report of 2014 the GIS Department complained about its slow network, resulting in poor internet service. The report stated that “the department continues to experience challenges loading and editing photos and video footage, as more bandwidth is needed to improve the speed of the network system. Currently, uploading photos and videos to the Government’s website is a slow process.”

Not even a working photocopier

In 2014 the GIS Department experienced a dysfunctional copier “that produced very low quality print.” The report stated that the Department is in need of a new machine. It is unclear now in 2017 whether that matter has been addressed.

The report also said that the GIS has limited space at the recording studio, as it has insufficient lighting and low roof which impacts production. They stated in the report that “currently, the aesthetic/structure of the building impacts green screen production, a technique that is fundamentally necessary for filming.” The Studio setup is a single set which does not allow for varied set up and uses, the GIS report stated.

In addition, another challenge according to the 2014 GIS report is that the department is in need of a vehicle. The Department has one 2006 Dodge Ram 1500. “Throughout the years there have been many maintenance issues, which included several costly replacement parts. The tray of the truck has no cover, which poses a risk to equipment while transporting during inclement weather. Transportation to multiple venues with one vehicle also poses a problem as transportation of officers to different events becomes impossible.”

No one to do the work

The GIS Department seems to be dysfunctional because of the lack of human resources. The report stated that at the end of 2014 the department was unable to fill the post of Chief Information Officer and two Information Officers. Other challenges include the computers assigned to the Production Unit, which results in slow loading of photos and videos, computer freezing and lack of modern software.

The report called on the government to invest in the department in order for it to carry out its mandated duties and to be the “preferred source for event coverage and production of public information.”

Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith (AL) is the Minister of Public Information.