Use your right to probe government says info boss

(CNS): The country’s Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is urging people to use the law to exercise their right to know what the government is doing. Information Commissioner Jennifer Dilbert said that the law was an essential part of democracy and that the ICO would be using the forthcoming annual International Right to Know Day, celebrated on 28 September, to promote the importance and benefits of government openness and accountability in any democratic society. Meanwhile, Natasha Bodden, a trained lawyer and former policy analyst has been named as the FOI Unit’s acting co-ordinator.

The ICO, which works with but is separate from the FOI, will be hosting a full week of FOI themed events from 27 September to 3 October to promote its 9 month old law and educate the public of their rights afforded under that law. The ICO said the message for this year is Exercise Your Rights – Make a Request.

“Freedom of Information Legislation is paramount to a democratic and forward thinking society which is why promoting this new law and educating the public on how they can use it is essential to its continued success” said Dilbert. “By introducing this Law in our Islands our government, both past and present, has demonstrated that it is wholly committed to an open and transparent government that is fully accountable to its people in accordance with core principles of democracy”.

The FOI law gives everyone, from anywhere in the world, of any age and without giving a reason, the right to access all government held records, subject to a few limited exceptions.  To make an FOI request, simply contact the relevant public authority and submit your application. The public authority must respond within 30 days and if it refuses your request you can appeal.

During the FOI week the commissioner and her staff will be hosting an afternoon tea from 2:00pm to 4:00pm at the ICO in Elizabethan Square (above the Thai Restaurant), where staff will be on hand to answer questions and offer guidance on how the public can make FOI requests.

There will be a rolling presentation highlighting various aspects of the ICO’s work. This event is open to the public and all are welcome to come along and to learn about the role of the ICO and to get assistance with making a request. Other Right to Know Week activities include the Information Commissioner’s appearance on CITN’s Daybreak, the Rooster Crosstalk Show, Radio Cayman’s Talk Today and presentations to the Sunrise Rotary and Rotary Grand Cayman Clubs.

On Friday, 2 October  the commissioner and her deputy, Gary Cordes, will be visiting Cayman Brac to open the Sister Islands Information Commissioner’s Office and host a number of other events. ICO staff will be visiting the Brac periodically during the year to further promote FOI and to assist individuals. The week concludes with a Right to Know Fun Walk / Run / Ride-a-thon on Saturday, October 3rd.  This event is hosted by the FOI Unit, who in previous years hosted the Sunshine Walk. 

The unit, which is part of the Cabinet Office, monitors and supports government’s internal policies, programmes and procedures arising from the ongoing implementation of the Freedom of Information Law.

The new unit co-ordinator said this week that she will strive to ensure that the FOI unit continues to promote transparency and accountability within government, and carries on training civil servants to understand their duties and responsibilities under the law. “We are thrilled with the prospect of helping to create data protection legislation for the Cayman Islands, as this goes hand-in-hand with FOI. I look forward to dealing with the challenges of the next few years.”  

For application forms and further information on events, please call 747-5402 or visit www.INFOCOMM.ky