The Puerto Rico government is looking to use blockchain technology to combat corruption. https://ift.tt/3yJuPiv

The Puerto Rico government has shown interest in using blockchain technology to tackle corruption. House Speaker Rafael “Tatito” Hernandez confirmed that lawmakers plan to meet with local blockchain experts this month to create smart contracts that would aim to bring more transparency and accountability to the sector. In these meetings, lawmakers will discuss and contemplate adopting blockchain technology for anti-corruption purposes. 

Blockchain and smart contracts could bring transparency and accountability to the public sector.

According to the Bloomberg report, Hernandez spoke about the blockchain and anti-corruption at a Blockchain Trade Association Conference. He said implementing blockchain, and smart contracts could bring more transparency and accountability to the public sector. “We have a real credibility problem,” he explained. “And this might be part of the solution,” he added. The House Speaker also noted that this innovation is a broader effort to make the Caribbean island a hub for cryptocurrencies and blockchain innovations. “Back in the 60s and 70s, we had the niche of manufacturing…This is a new niche, a new opportunity to create jobs,” Hernandez said.

More countries are combatting corruption using blockchain.

More and more countries are combatting anti-corruption with the use of blockchain technology. The United Nations drug and crimes agency had earlier advised the Kenyan government to utilize blockchain for anti-corruption purposes. David Robinson, the regional anti-corruption advisor at the UN’s Office on Drugs and Crime, said that technologies like blockchain would help Kenya prevent the loss of billions to corrupt practices and crimes in the country. Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Denmark published a report explaining the use of blockchain, big data, crowdsourcing, and e-governance to resolve administrative and political corruption.