The Cayman Islands information commissioner has reported that “severe” budgets cuts are preventing checks on whether public officials are complying with the freedom of information law, according to an article by Brent Fuller in The Compass.
The cuts have been “seriously felt” this year by the five- person information commissioner’s office which now lacks a senior analyst, according to a quarterly report from the commissioner, Jennifer Dilbert.
“The absence of a senior analyst, a post which was not funded for 2012/13 [current budget], coupled with an increase in the number and complexity of appeals, has meant that the Information Commissioner’s Office has been unable to carry out necessary investigations into public authorities’ compliance with the law,” a quarterly report states. Training programs also have suffered, according to the report.
The commissioner is also looking at large legal bills because of a judicial review application filed by Governor Duncan Taylor over records related to a police corruption investigation.
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