Posts Tagged ‘commissioners/ombudsmen’
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25 March 2013
Caribbean FOI Network Formed at Jamaica Meeting
A Caribbean network on freedom of information was created at a conference held recently in Kingston, Jamaica. Governments, civil society, and media announced plans to launch the Caribbean network “to support processes to improve standards for access to information in the region,” according to a statement. Representatives from 11 Caribbean countries attended a two-day “Regional Conference on Freedom of […]
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21 March 2013
Guyana Minister Says ATI Law May Be Effective in 2013
A key minister in Guyana has said the access to information law passed September of 2011 may be implemented by the end of 2013, according to a March 20 article by Denis Scott Chabrol in Demarara Waves quoting Presidential Advisor on Governance, Gail Teixeira. The law does not go into effect until an information commissioner […]
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21 March 2013
UK ICO Needs Budget Flexibility, Report Finds
The United Kingdom’s House of Commons Justice Committee has proposed that the Information Commissioner be allowed to use income from data protection fees to support its freedom of information work. In a March 21 report, the committee commends the commissioner for reducing his budget while still making inroads into the backlog of freedom of information complaints and […]
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20 March 2013
FOI Notes: Southeast Asia, Info Commissioners, Latin America, Job
Southeast Asia: The extensive minutes of the Transparency Advisory Group meeting in January provide an excellent overview of RTI activities in the region. Many topics are covered in the presentations and discussions, including: the value of examples of RTI use, proactive disclosure, indicators of success. TAG’s workplan and other information are available on its website. […]
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8 March 2013
The Hobbit and Commercial Information: A Cautionary Tale
By Dani Gardiner Gardiner is a senior associate with the New Zealand law firm ChenPalmer. The recent decision of Ombudsman David McGee concerning The Hobbit documents stands as a reminder to businesses to exercise care when disclosing commercially sensitive information to the Government. The Ombudsman found that the Government was not entitled to withhold a […]
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7 March 2013
Portuguese Government Resists Disclosing Key Study
The Portuguese government has refused to release a study about a controversial policy proposal. Defying a recommendation for disclosure from the Commission on Access to Administrative Documents (CADA), the government has relied on another legal standard to keep the study confidential. The government is basing its refusal on Section 11.1 of the Rules of Procedure […]
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27 February 2013
President of El Salvador Names Institute Members
President of El Salvador Mauricio Funes on Feb. 23 appointed the five members of the Access to Public Information Institute after a delay of more than a year. The president had previous rejected as unqualified the candidates chosen last January through an unusual nomination process. Candidates were elected by open assemblies of five sectors: universities, […]
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28 January 2013
New Head of Mexican IFAI Blasted by Colleague
The inauguration of Gerardo Laveaga as the new head of the Federal Institute of Access to Information and Data Protection (IFAI) was accompanied by strong criticisms from a fellow commissioner. Commissioner Angeles Trinidad Zaldivar called Laveaga “inexperienced and lazy.” In a Jan. 21 speech at the event, he said Laveaga has outstanding 291 matters before […]
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10 January 2013
EU Ombudsman Blasts EC for Denying Document Access
European Ombudsman P. Nikiforos Diamandouros has blasted the European Commission for denying access to documents concerning its view of the United Kingdom’s decision to opt-out from the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The ombudsman said the Commission “has breached the Charter of Fundamental Rights by wrongfully refusing to give public access” to the documents and […]
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10 January 2013
Liberian Group Appeals for Access to Asset Disclosures
A Liberian group has appealed to the Information Commissioner for access to the asset disclosure forms of ministers and deputy ministers. Access to the declarations was denied by the Liberia Anti- Corruption Commission (LACC) citing an exemption in the Liberian freedom of information law. The Center for Media Studies and Peacebuilding (CEMESP) has filed a […]
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4 January 2013
Hong Kong Ombudsman Says He Will Examine Access Code
Hong Kong’s Ombudsman Alan Lai has announced an investigation into the access to information regime and records management system in Hong Kong. “There have been calls from time to time from the public for the Administration to enhance citizens’ right to access information,” according to the Jan. 4 press release. “The Administration has thus far maintained […]
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31 December 2012
Malaysian State of Selangor Inaugurates FOI Law Jan. 1
The freedom of information law in the Malaysian state of Selangor will come into force Jan. 1. The bill was passed in April of 2011 and is the first state FOI law. (See previous FreedomInfo.org report.) “It’s a very exciting challenge for the state government,” executive councillor Elizabeth Wong told The Selangor Times. Reporter Gan Pei […]
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21 December 2012
Campaign for FOI Objects to UK Government Proposals
The Campaign for Freedom of Information in the United Kingdom Dec. 18 issued a statement objecting that government plans to amend the Freedom of Information Act “would make it harder for requesters to obtain answers to new, complex or contentious FOI requests.” As explained by the Campaign: The government is proposing to make it easier […]
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17 December 2012
Canadian Commissioner Extends Period for Comment
The Information Commissioner of Canada has extended the deadline for comments on modernizing the almost 30-year-old Access to Information Act. The “open dialogue” will now run until Jan. 31, 2013. About a dozen submissions have been made since the effort was begun Sept. 28 by commissioner Suzanne Legault. She plans to provide recommendations to Parliament […]
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10 December 2012
South Africa to Create Information Regulator
A new “Information Regulator” to be created in South Africa will oversee the access to information law as well as a new data protection law, fulfilling a long-running goal of access to information activists. The development comes in the context of data protection legislation approved by the Parliament and expected to be signed into law […]
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26 November 2012
Indian Supreme Court to Review RTI Act Decision
The Indian Supreme Court on Nov. 20 agreed to hear the government’s request that it review its Sept. 13 decision that among other things would require that information commissions be composed of retired judges. (See previous FreedomInfo.org report.) In agreeing to the review, justices A.K. Patnaik and Swatanter Kumar, “made it clear that its verdict […]
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7 November 2012
World Bank Proposes Loan for Tunisia With Access Clause
Improved access to information is a goal and condition of a proposed $500 million loan for Tunisia soon to be considered by the World Bank Executive Board. The goal established is for Tunisia to have granted “at least 25 requests for information by citizens” by the end of 2014.” This goal would be established if […]
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6 November 2012
Indian CIC Orders Agency to Disclose Corruption Files
India’s chief information commissioner, Satyendra Mishra, has ruled that even an agency exempt from the right to information law may not withhold information related to corruption by public officials or human rights violations. In his Nov. 2 order, Mishra mandated the Central Bureau of Information to provide requested information, subject to RTI Act exemptions, according […]
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2 November 2012
Indian Cabinet Withdraws Controversial RTI Proposal
The Indian Cabinet Nov. 1 pulled back from a six-year-old proposal to dilute the Right to Information Act. The action was a relief to activists. The main effect of the changes, planned back in 2006, would have been to restrict access to “file notings” – documents in which officials make comments about proposed policies. Withdrawing […]
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2 November 2012
Hawke to Eye Australian FOI Act, Attorney General Says
The Australian government Oct. 31 announced a review of the 1982 Freedom of Information Act. The Attorney General named an experienced government official to conduct the inquiry, Allan Hawke. Hawke’s background and the announcement are discussed in a posting by FOI blogger Peter Timmins. The review is to explore whether the law continues to “provide […]