[OSGeo Africa] Ideas on writing a petition to access municipal spatial data

[Lance Nel]

Hi Peter

I agree with you that the situation is not clear or simple.

User Pay is a sound economic principle. Free items are generally abused items.

If my rates are high to cover municipal costs I would like those who intend to benefit economically in a project or business that has no direct benefit for the municipality or me, to help lower these rates by paying a “tax” for what they use.

Appropriate payments that are not abusive or prohibitive probably need to be examined.

As Peter mentioned a lower rate coupled with declaration of intended use and restrictions on reuse and distribution to prevent circumvention of payment by third tier users is an obvious mechanism.

Lance

From: Africa [mailto:africa-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf Of Peter Newmarch
Sent: 2018/02/15 09:46 AM
To: 'Africa local chapter discussions' <africa at lists.osgeo.org>
Subject: Re: [OSGeo Africa] Ideas on writing a petition to access municipal spatial data

Sindile,

Its not as easy as this. I am aware of certain datasets having copyright restrictions despite the Government procuring such. Tenderers could for example offer a lower price with a restriction that it only be used by the municipality, the base custodianship policy makes provision for such copyrights and royalties (if need be) – despite the government being the “custodian”.

Custodian does not mean owner. For example, the SG is the custodian of Cadastral data, but holds no copyright to that data – the land surveyors do. Even the GIS data they derive is not the copyright of the department.

I support a discussion on this issue.

Regards

Peter

From: Africa [mailto:africa-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf Of Sindile Bidla
Sent: Thursday, February 15, 2018 9:21 AM
To: Africa local chapter discussions <africa at lists.osgeo.org<mailto:africa at lists.osgeo.org>>
Subject: [OSGeo Africa] Ideas on writing a petition to access municipal spatial data

Dear List,

Most municipalities in the country are making it difficult to access spatial data that has been paid for through our taxes:
1. selling of spatial data
2. signing data agreements that prevent reuse
3. providing access to spatial data only if conducting a municipal project

I am proposing that we start a petition in this regard, because government policy is quite clear with regard to access to spatial data.

What I would like ideas on is:
1. is there appetite from the community in this regard?
2. should we have a single petition which will be sent to individual municipalities and key government department?
3. is there an online platform that we could use?
4. any other idea.

Thank you.


Sindile XJ Bidla

Geoilocate

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        Lance Nel
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