What’s New
-
11 June 2012
50 Papers on Transparency Given at Utrecht Conference
More than 50 academic papers were presented June 7-9 at the Transatlantic Conference on Transparency Research, held at Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands. The presentations addressed access to information and other transaprency-related topics from many angles and covering many countries. Many papers focus on theory, such as: “Bentham Revisited: Transparency as a `Magic’ Concept, Its Justifications […]
-
8 June 2012
OGP Works on Processes, Faces Personnel Changes
By Toby McIntosh The Open Government Partnership is working to flesh out the Independent Review Mechanism through which national action plans will be evaluated, and is facing some significant personnel changes. Julie McCarthy, the executive director, due to leave on maternity leave, will return as a part-time senior adviser, so the OGP plans to hire a […]
-
8 June 2012
FOI Bill in Sierra Leone Assigned to Committee
The Sierra Leone Minister of Information and Communication June 7 submitted freedom of information legislation to Parliament where it was again sent to the Legislative Committee for scrutiny. FOI legislation has languished in the Legislative Committee in the past, and the initial debate on the bill indicated that some parliamentarians are strongly opposed to it, […]
-
8 June 2012
FOI Notes: Environmental Democracy, Consultant Wanted, Global Integrity, UK Study
Environment: Globalizing Environmental Democracy: A Call for International Action by Lalanath de Silva & Jeremy Wates. Job Posting: The United Nations Development Programme is seeking a consultant for a study on FOI, the forestry sector and climate change. Global Integrity: The Global Integrity 2011 report is out. “This year, we cover 31 countries examining transparency of the […]
-
8 June 2012
Philippines House Chairman Forsees Action in July
The chairman of the committee in the Philippines House that will handle the freedom of information bill said June 5 that he will be trying to come up with an “acceptable formula.” Rep. Ben Evardone, public information committee chairman, was quoted in an article by Jess Diaz in The Philippine Star and by GMA. “I’m […]
-
8 June 2012
South African Security Agency Testifies on Secrecy Bill
The South African Department of State Security (DSS) on June 6 objected to including a public interest defense in the secrecy bill being considered by the Ad Hoc Committee on Protection of State Information Bill (NCOP), according to a detailed summary and minutes by the Parliamentary Monitoring Group and media accounts. The DSS expressed concern that the […]
-
8 June 2012
Scottish FOI Amendments Criticized as Too Narrow
The Scottish government has proposed freedom of information law amendments that FOI activists say fall short. Carole Ewart, co-convener of Campaign for Freedom of Information Scotland, wrote in reaction that it is “what isn’t in the bill that is the problem” and called it “a wasted opportunity.” She said more quasi-governmental bodies need to be […]
-
3 June 2012
Strong Senate Supports Bolsters Hope in Philippines
Despite near unanimous support for a freedom of information bill in the Philippines Senate, the bill’s prospects remain uncertain in the House. Twenty-two out of 23 senators have endorsed the committee report on a FOI bill by Sen. Gregorio B. Honasan II, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Information. Honasan was expected to formally […]
-
3 June 2012
U.S. State Statutes Honeycombed With Loopholes
By Caitlin Ginley Ginley wrote this article for the State Integrity Investigation, “an unprecedented, data-driven analysis of each state’s laws and practices that deter corruption and promote accountability and openness.” Early last month, lawmakers in Iowa completed work on a new open records statute. Senate File 430 creates the Iowa Public Information Board, a nine-member […]
-
1 June 2012
Finnish, Swedish Ministers Appeal for EU Transparency
The ministers of justice for Finland and Sweden have written a letter titled “True friends of transparency?” that cautions against moves they say would undercut access to information in the European Union. The letter was received and described May 31 by the website Wobbing EU. Swedish minister of justice Beatrice Ask (conservative) and Finnish minister […]
-
1 June 2012
Irish IC Hopes for Reforms, Notes More Requests
The Irish Information Commissioner May 30 said she hopes to see new freedom of information reform legislation later this year and noted that FOI requests rose 8 percent in 2011. Emily O’Reilly, Information Commissioner and Commissioner for Environmental Information, made these points and others upon the release of the 2011 Annual Report (press release). Regarding prospective […]
-
1 June 2012
Indian Sports Minister Asks CIC to Open Cricket Board
Indian Sports Minister Ajay Maken has taken his campaign to bring the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) under the purview of the Right to Information Act to the Central Information Commission, according to media reports. “We have appealed to the CIC,” he told reporters May 31, according to The Times of India and The Hindu. It is not […]
-
1 June 2012
FOI Notes: UNESCO, Fiscal Transparency
Open Access: UNESCO has published “Policy Guidelines for the Development and Promotion of Open Access” which is largely about open access to scientific information and is designed “to promote Open Access in Member States by facilitating understanding of all relevant issues related to Open Access.“ Comments are being solicited here. There are nine sections are: […]
-
1 June 2012
To Stop Corruption: Egypt Needs a Freedom of Information Law
By Mark Salah Morgan and Sahar Aziz Morgan is Counsel at Day Pitney LLP and Aziz is Associate Professor of Law, Texas Wesleyan School of Law. Both are members of the Egyptian American Rule of Law Association, a nonprofit organization committed to promoting rule of law through access to information. EARLA published “Freedom of Information […]
-
31 May 2012
Spain Publishes Text of Latest Access Law Proposal
The Spanish government has posted the latest version (in Spanish) of a proposed transparency law. Spain’s Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría on May 18 announced that the Cabinet had advanced the draft bill to the next stage of review. (See previous FreedomInfo.org report.) The text, however, was not immediately published. (See previous FreedomInfo.org […]
-
31 May 2012
Ghana Coalition Submits Options Paper on RTI Bill
The Ghana Right to Information Coalition has presented an options paper to the Parliament detailing improvements it says should be made to long-pending RTI bill. The bill is before the parliamentary Select Joint Committees on Communications and Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. The Joint Committees held public consultations on the bill between July and August […]
-
30 May 2012
Directive in Tunisia to Facilitate Publishing of Government Data
By Ibrahim Elbadawi Elbadawi runs the blog @iBadawi, subtitled, “eGovernment across Arab countries.” This article was published May 14. His twitter handle is @iBadawi. The Tunisian government has issued a new directive to regulate public access to government information and documents. The directive (Arabic only), signed by the Tunisian Prime Minister Mr. Hamadi Jebali and directed […]
-
29 May 2012
Florida Governor Opens Up Emails to Public View
Florida Governor Rick Scott has created a website at which the public can view his email and 11 of his top staff members. Under “Project Sunburst,” the emails will be accessible to the public through an online, read-only e-mail viewer, subject to certain restrictions. “This unprecedented step gives the citizens of Florida and members of […]
-
25 May 2012
Progress Slow on Drafting FOI Legislation in Kenya
Kenya’s Constitutional Implementation Commission is continuing to draft a freedom of information bill and a data protection bill, but the process is taking longer than expected. “Too long, “ observed one person close to the process in a note to FreedomInfo.org. Once approved by the commission, the bills must be approved by the Cabinet and […]
-
25 May 2012
Ghana Coalition Challenges Avoka, Submits Comments
The Coalition on Right to Information May 22 countered allegations that it is delaying progress on right to information legislation. Nana Oye Lithur, speaking for the Coalition on RTI, said at a press conference in Accra that the coalition has engaged in many efforts to educate the public and members of parliament and to assist […]