Costa Rica and the challenge to the Information Society

Abstract

The following article makes reference to public policies and their importance to include Costa Rica in the information society (IS). These policies allow creating the necessary conditions to sustain IS. Also, they are the operating framework that should permit to have a more inclusive, multicultural Costa Rican society that guarantees the democratic access to information, knowledge and ICT’s. In order to establish the Information Society (IS) in Costa Rica, and in any other country, it is required to develop an action plan based on the collaboration of the public and private sectors. On one side, the public sector in charge of the promotion, regulation of activities through public policies. On the other side, the private sector implementing those public policies and financing the information society in the creation of new services, products, jobs, and a competitive economy. In the search for the State’s efficiency and transparency, there are two types of relation: State – ICT’s and State – Information Society, both with the purpose of achieving a greater economic growth and citizen’s welfare. Unfortunately, Costa Rica lacks public policies that guarantee free access to public information and ICT’s. Additionally, the lack of politic will and politicians’ interests, these relations are impossible to establish and States’ efficiency and transparency are unattainable.