Transparency will feature new technologies in 2014.

Brasilia Agency - Responsible for overseeing public administration and providing the population of the Federal District with knowledge of the accounts and actions of the Executive branch, the Secretariat of Transparency and Control will complete 3 years next January and plans, for 2014, to use new technologies that facilitate accountability, such as mobile applications.

Among the legacy of the ministry is the constant oversight in all areas related to the 2014 FIFA World Cup, such as the construction of the Mané Garrincha National Stadium in Brasília, which has already hosted more than 600 spectators in just 16 events, including football matches and concerts, and attracted 260 more people than the old stadium in its 36-year history.

Check out the interview that the Deputy Secretary of Transparency and Control of the Federal District Government, Mauro Noleto, gave to the Brasília na Copa Portal, from the Federal District Government:

How does the Secretariat of Transparency and Control ensure transparent information for citizens?

Government agencies themselves make their data available, and the Transparency Secretariat organizes and disseminates this material. Information on investments in public works and on personnel costs, including payroll, is available on the Transparency Portal.

Investments directly related to the World Cup, such as the Mané Garrincha stadium and other related projects, have spreadsheets and data available on a separate portal. This is the Transparency Portal for the World Cup, launched in April. There, it is possible to see everything that has already been completed and the budget that is still being executed.

The Ethos Institute conducted a survey in 2011 that assessed the transparency of FIFA World Cup construction projects across the country and is now preparing a second version. What are the expectations for the new assessment?

Today, our transparency policies are fully operational. In 2012, when the first survey was conducted, part of our structure was still being designed. Now, the Secretariat of Transparency and Control has taken over the coordination of these efforts and brought together 12 other departments of the DF's public administration.

Our expectation is that Brasília's score will increase and that we will be among the cities with the best transparency rating in investments for the World Cup. I repeat: there has been significant progress. And we will continue to advance, regardless of whether the survey recognizes these improvements.

What actions were taken in 2013 to increase the transparency of the World Cup construction projects?

I'll give you an example. In April, we implemented the Transparency Portal for the World Cup, which didn't exist in 2012. This platform was developed to increase the transparency of the government's actions in organizing the World Cup and to allow for easier monitoring by the public.

The portal provides information on resources invested, tenders, contracts, and the financial execution of actions carried out by the GDF (Government of the Federal District) for the World Cup. It is included in the new report we sent to the Ethos Institute, along with several other improvements.

Besides the Transparency Portal for the World Cup, are there other examples?

There are many examples. We also have the Legacy Plan, which hadn't been presented at the time of the first survey. We showed the legacy of the World Cup for Public Security – which modernized its equipment, acquired new cameras, and set up an integrated monitoring center –; for tourism; and for urban mobility. Therefore, the World Cup infrastructure generated a series of resources and projects that will benefit the population of the Federal District forever.

Are the resources allocated by the Federal District Government (GDF) for the FIFA World Cup being well spent?

My assessment is positive. The investments in the Mané Garrincha Stadium, for example, are high, but fully compatible with a project of that size. And the success of this construction is quite evident in the numbers.

In terms of financial return, the Mané Garrincha stadium surpasses any investment that has been made to date. The old Mané Garrincha stadium never made a profit and didn't even come close to what we've managed to raise so far.
(In its 36-year history, the new arena has already hosted more than 600 spectators in just 16 events, including football matches and concerts, and has attracted 260 more people than the old stadium.)

And, up until now, I haven't even talked about the boost to the local economy, the production chain, the generation of jobs and income. The old Mané Garrincha stadium wasn't fit for anything, not even concerts. That, indeed, was a "white elephant." Today, the city has gained an excellent public facility for leisure and sports, capable of hosting major events that previously wouldn't even come close to the capital.

Is it important for the population of the Federal District to monitor spending so that people understand all of this?

This transparency is of utmost importance. Society needs access to all information and to be certain that the expenditures will yield a return. The organization of the World Cup is already deeply embedded and has been highly politicized – as evidenced by the June protests throughout Brazil, which had the World Cup as one of their main themes. We have responded and will continue to respond to this polarization with accurate information.

What are the next steps the GDF (Government of the Federal District) will take to increase this transparency?

We are working to use other tools. We will create an open data portal with other dissemination mechanisms so that society can take ownership of the information. It will enable the creation of applications that facilitate access to information, including on mobile phones.

We will create a QR code (a code with information that can be scanned by a cell phone) that will help interested parties to quickly and accurately find out the costs of the works, completion deadlines, and any other information they want. This will be available in other languages, such as English and Spanish.

Is there a deadline for this expansion to take place?

Our idea is to present these new technologies to Governor Agnelo Queiroz by the end of the year. This new portal is already under construction, and we should present it in the first half of next year.

Our goal is also to bring this information to channels other than the traditional ones, such as radio, TV, and newspapers. We can't focus solely on formal or traditional sources. We need new challenges.

Therefore, we are not satisfied with simply providing information. We want it to be useful to the population and to transform into knowledge. We could be content just passing on the information, but society wants the State to give more. That's why we are democratizing all this access.