Posts Tagged ‘implementation’
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1 January 2015
10 Years of FOI in the UK: Tony, Tension and Turbulence
By Ben Worthy The author is a Lecturer in Politics at Birkbeck College, University of London. It was first posted Dec. 28 on his blog OpenDataStudy. The 10th anniversary was widely noted elsewhere, including in an official note by Justice Minister Simon Hughes saying that more than 400,000 requests have been made under FOI laws in […]
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18 December 2014
Group Complains About Spanish FOI Website
Access Info Europe Dec. 17 asked the Spanish Ombudsman to look at various “obstacles” to using Spain’s transparency law. The Madrid-based group objected that “requesters may only send information requests via the Transparency Portal by complicated and time-consuming process, which resulted in no member of Access Info Europe has yet having completed the bureaucratic steps […]
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18 December 2014
New Zealand Ombudsman Orders Review of Access
The New Zealand Chief Ombudsman has ordered a review of the practices of government agencies in processing requests under the Official Information Act (OIA). Dame Beverley Wakem said that 12 central government agencies have been selected for formal review, while a further 63 agencies and all 27 Ministers’ offices are being asked to complete a […]
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18 December 2014
IFAI Orders Disclosure of Database of Professionals
Mexico’s Federal Institute for Access to Information (IFAI) has ordered the disclosure of the database of the National Registry of Professionals. Commissioner Areli Cano Guadiana also said that greater accessibility should be provided. (See order, in Spanish) The IFAI said sensitive personal data should be exempted from disclosure, including addresses, phone numbers and email addresses. […]
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11 December 2014
Spanish Law Effective; Problems Affect First Day
On the first day that Spain’s access to information law (English version) was effective, Dec. 10, users experienced difficulty using the online request system, according to the lobbying group Access Info Europe. The group reported that it could not manage to make a request. Also, requesters from some EU countries were redirected to websites in […]
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20 November 2014
Study Examines Success of FOI Request Platforms
The first study of the growing number of nongovernmental platforms that facilitate freedom of information requests has found limited evidence of measurable impact but some encouraging signs. The 27 sites studied, most of which have emerged in the last four years, have been technologically workable, weathered government resistance and face future sustainability challenges, according to […]
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19 November 2014
World Bank Previews Study of RTI Law Implementation
The World Bank Nov. 19 previewed a detailed analysis of the factors that determine effective implementation of right to information laws, The analysis is based on a closer look at 12 case studies done over the last several years by the Bank. Analysts coded the information from the studies to isolate factors that influenced implementation effectiveness. […]
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12 November 2014
Asia Foundation Report Finds Many Implementation Issues
Awareness of right to know laws in three Southeast Asian countries is very low and public officials report many obstacles to implementing the RTI laws, according to a new report by the Asia Foundation. The study was done in partnership with civil society organizations in Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan, and with the foundation’s country office […]
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12 November 2014
Indian CIC Schedules Hearing On Nov. 21 for Political Parties
The Indian Central Information Commission has scheduled a Nov. 21 hearing on non-compliance by six political parties withy a June 3, 2013, order bringing them under the purview of Right to Information Act. The commission has asked the parties to appear before it and produce all relevant documents. One such order was issued Feb. 7. […]
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6 November 2014
World Bank Sparks Discussion of RTI Implementation
The World Bank is exploring how it can encourage better implementation of right to information laws. One idea on the table at a Nov. 5 forum in Washington was to create an international standard about what governments should report on their compliance with RTI laws. Also discussed was to develop a set of international principles […]
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6 November 2014
Arkansas Judge Orders Public Official Arrested
A judge in Arkansas on Nov. 5 issued an arrest warrant for a government agency official over claims he didn’t provide documents requested by an Arkansas newspaper. A prosecutor earlier this week had issued an arrest affidavit for the official, accused of a misdemeanor charge of violating the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act. Pulaski County […]
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4 November 2014
China’s Leaders Endorse Disclosure as the `Norm’
By Jamie P. Horsley The author is Executive Director, The China Law Center and Senior Research Scholar, Yale Law School In an important policy decision adopted at the conclusion of a four-day plenary meeting of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee from October 20-23, the Party endorsed disclosure as the norm, with non-disclosure as the […]
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30 October 2014
Indian Order Sparks Debate on Disclosing Requester Info
The recent decision by the Indian government to post online the replies to right to information requests is generating debate over whether requester names should be disclosed. The instruction from the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) in an Oct. 21 memorandum did not directly address the disclosure of names issue, but those familiar with […]
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29 October 2014
US FOIA Advisory Panel Tackles Variety of Topics
By Lauren Harper The author writes for the National Security Archive Unredacted blog. The FOIA Advisory Committee, established by the second Open Government National Action Plan and tasked to “advise on improvements to FOIA administration,” held itssecond meeting last week. The Committee consists of ten government and ten non-governmental FOIA experts – including the Archive’s FOIA Coordinator Nate Jones […]
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29 October 2014
Court Finds Database Redaction Too Burdensome
By Harry Hammit Hammit is publisher of Access Reports, a bi-monthly report on U.S. and Canadian freedom of information legal developments. A ruling by Judge Rudolph Contreras finding that personally identifying information contained in several FTC complaint databases is protected by Exemption 6 (invasion of privacy), while almost certainly correct based on case law interpretation, […]
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29 October 2014
Getting Serious About Protecting Access to Public Email
By Emily Shaw The author is National Policy Manager at the Sunlight Foundation and oversees its state and local policy work. This article was published Oct. 21 on the Sunlight blog. Our legally-protected access to public email records — the most voluminous source of official written records — is failing. Broward County, Fla. charging journalists […]
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23 October 2014
Indian Ministries Told to Post Replies Online by Oct. 31
All Indian government agencies have been told to post online their replies to Right to Information Act requests by the end of the month. The ministry overseeing the administration of the Indian RTI Act on Oct. 21 announced a new website feature that will allow placement of replies on the RTI Online system. Agencies were […]
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21 October 2014
Analyzing FOI Law Compliance in Four Nigerian Agencies
This report is reprinted from the website of the Cleen Foundation. To download the full report, visit www.cleen.org In March 2014, the Access Nigeria (AccessNG) project trained and deployed 12 representatives of civil society organisations (CSOs) to collaboratively access information from the government agencies at the fore of the fight against corruption and trans-national organized crimes […]
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16 October 2014
Report Paints Bleak Picture of Indian RTI Law at 10th Year
A comprehensive and scathing report on the Indian Right to Information documents extensive weaknesses in the system and makes major recommendations for reform. The 150-page examination provides a detailed picture of dysfunction, including “huge” backlogs, an ineffectual appeals process, lack of compliance with orders and penalty awards, and weak records management. The research provides many […]
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16 October 2014
UN Panel Told That Angola Needs Better Implementation
Angola is not doing enough to implement its right to information law, according to a statement made by the Africa Freedom of Information Centre to a United Nations body. The statement was made by Gilbert Sendugwa, AFIC’s Coordinator & Head of Secretariat, at an Oct. 7 meeting under the auspices of the Human Rights Council. […]