HOT provided OpenStreetMap training as part of the World Bank's Caribbean Open Data Program, which aims to increase the ability of countries to create new businesses and generate more value, as well as improve the delivery of various services.

Web-based mapping is an activity of growing importance in many countries around the world, especially in places where base map data is often scarce and out of date. Governments are collecting more and more data, including geospatial data, and are beginning to understand the social and economic benefits of sharing the data. As part of the World Bank-DFID partnership to support Open Data in the Caribbean, HOT conducted one-day open mapping workshops in Castries, St. Lucia, and Kingston, Jamaica.

Prior to the workshops, St Lucia and Jamaica completed the World Bank Open Data Readiness Assessment, which serves to assist the government in diagnosing what actions it could consider in order to establish an Open Data initiative. The Caribbean Open Data Program aims to increase the ability of the country to create new businesses and generate more value, as well as improve the delivery of various services in each country.

These workshops represent first steps to realize countries goals based on open geo-data. HOT is pursuing support to build on these initial trainings with mapping events and additional training in each country.