Posts Tagged ‘rti legislation’
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18 May 2012
Ghanaian House Leader Says RTI Bill Be Approved
The majority leader of the Ghana Parliament, Cletus Avoka, May 16 said a right to information bill will be passed before the parliamentary session ends Jan. 6, 2013. His comments came during a press conference at which he criticized the bill’s supporters for blaming him for holding up action, according to media reports such as a report […]
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18 May 2012
Sierra Leone Parliament Holds Meeting on FOI Bill
The Sierra Leone Parliament May 17 held a pre-legislative conference on the freedom of information bill at which parliamentarians complained bitterly about the tactics of pro-FOI supporters. Advocates are still hopeful that the bill will be passed, however, although the parliamentary action is occurring at a slower pace than suggested weeks ago by government officials. […]
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17 May 2012
New Yemen Law Ranks High on International Scale
The legislation passed in Yemen on the right of access to information, currently awaiting presidential assent, scores fairly high on an international rating scale The Centre for Law and Democracy analysis gives it 102 out of a possible 150 points, putting it in 21st place globally. “The law’s strongest features include its broad scope and […]
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14 May 2012
Reception Lukewarm for ANC Compromises on Secrecy Bill
The ruling African National Congress in South Africa has proposed modifications to the controversial Protection of State Information Bill, but critics say they do not go far enough. The Right2Know Coalition that opposes the “secrecy bill” on May 11 called the ANC proposals “a small but important victory” but added that “the moment for celebration […]
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14 May 2012
Renewed Effort to Bring Up RTI Bill in Sri Lanka Blocked
The ruling party in Sri Lanka has blocked an effort by the main opposition party to bring up right to information legislation, according to media reports. The United National Party presented its RTI proposal to the Speaker of Parliament, but was told the bill could not be presented because it had been defeated in June […]
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11 May 2012
Ghana Coalition Protests Low Priority Given FOI Legislation
The Coalition on Right to Information in Ghana May 11 issued a statement “to express its disappointment” that the majority leader of Parliament, Cletus Avoka, said May 7 that “the Right to Information Bill is not a priority for Parliament.” “This is particularly worrying when democracy depends on open, accountable government and the opportunity for […]
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11 May 2012
UK Protection of Freedoms Act Makes Changes in FOI
By Paul Gibbons This article first appeared in FOIManUK on May 10, Gibbon’s blog, and is reprinted with permission. The Protection of Freedoms Act came into force on 1 May 2012. Amongst its many implications are those for the Freedom of Information Act (though we still await a commencement order in respect of these provisions, […]
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4 May 2012
Yemeni Parliament Passes Right to Information Law
Yemen’s parliament April 24 approved a right to information bill. The legislation was first presented in 2008 by MP Ali Hussein Ashaal, of the Islah party, according to a Yemen Times article. “This was followed by another draft presented by the Ministry of Information, and since deliberations on both drafts have been proceeding off and […]
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4 May 2012
Angry Parliamentarian Vows to Block Sierra Leone FOI Bill
Only days after a top Sierra Leone government official said the freedom of information bill would pass during the week of May 7, a key legislator, angered by journalists, said it won’t. The strong statement by Majority Leader of Parliament, S.B.B. Dumbuya was dramatic, according to a report in Ariogbo by Femi Coker, who described […]
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4 May 2012
Trip to London Next Step for Ghana FOI Bill?
The perplexing pace of inaction on freedom of information legislation in Ghana is continuing. Positive signs include a top government official pledging action and reports from activists who say members of Parliament told them the bill will come up this month. On the other hand, Parliament has yet to produce a promised report on regional […]
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4 May 2012
Access to Information Clause In Draft Zambian Constitution
The first draft Constitution for Zambia was released April 30 and includes a provision on access to information. The 253-page document was hailed by media groups as progressive for its clauses on media freedom. Separately, a task force is preparing a freedom of information law. The access to information provision states: 37. (1) A citizen […]
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3 May 2012
Sierra Leone Parliament to Consider FOI Next Week
The Sierra Leone Parliament will consider long-delayed freedom of information legislation during the week of May 7, a top government official has said. The statement of the Minister of Information and Communication, Ibrahim Ben Kargbo, was reported in The Patriotic Vanguard by Ishmael Koroma. [Ed. note: FreedomInfo.org learned later that the article was essentially a press […]
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3 May 2012
R2K Campaign Objects to Shortened Schedule
The South African Right2Know coalition May 3 objected to plans by a parliamentary committee to consider the controversial Protection of State Information Bill in two sessions rather than the planned seven. Nobel Prize winner Nadine Gordimer, who has opposed the bill before, recently argued that it sh0ud be “rejected in its entirety” in an article, “South […]
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27 April 2012
New Guyana FOI Law Still Not in Effect After 7 Months
The Guyana access to information law, signed into law seven months ago, is still not in effect. The text of law, although not apparently available on official government websites, has been provided to FreedomInfo.org. The Guyana National Assembly passed the access to information bill Sept. 15, despite criticisms by local transparency activists. (See previous FreedomInfo.org report.) President […]
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27 April 2012
Ukraine Planning Rules for FOI Law; Internet Access
The Ukrainian government has indicated that in June it will adopt rules to implement the Law on Access to Public Information, according to a Ukrainian News report. A government announcement cited also stated that the government will and prepare “a plan of measures for creation of a public information accounting system in the state and […]
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23 April 2012
FOI Amendments in Poland Illegally Passed, Court Says
Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal April 18 has annulled amendments to the freedom of information law passed in 2011. The court ruled that the rules of the legislation process under which the changes were approved violated the Polish Constitution. Polish transparency activists had opposed the changes which were largely aimed at limited access to materials related to the […]
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13 April 2012
Botswana Ruling Party Postpones Work on FOI
By Toby McIntosh The ruling Botswana Democratic Party has postponed parliamentary consideration of a freedom of information bill, a move fueled by a secret and hyperbolic document from the office of the president. The 11-page document, made available to FreedomInfo.org, attacks the bill in multiple ways that FOI supporters say misrepresent the bill (text of bill). Circulated […]
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12 April 2012
Sweden Decides Against Changing Press Act
By Staffan Dahllöf This article first appeared on Wobbing Europe. The world’s oldest access law will remain Swedish parliamentarians have unanimously agreed not to propose a recast of the Swedish Freedom of the Press Act, the first law in the world to grant citizens access to public information. Backed by an overwhelming public opinion politicians […]
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9 April 2012
Discussion Active in Tunisia on Protecting Access Rights
Efforts are under way to ensure that Tunisia’s new constitution will protect access to information. An “Open Government and Access to Information” event was held in late March, sponsored by the Tunisian government, the World Bank and the European Commission, according to a World Bank press release. Representatives from regional governments, international experts, government officials […]
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6 April 2012
Sierra Leone FOI Advocates Urge Parliament to Act
Advocates of a freedom of information bill in Sierra Leone are pressing the government to take action on the long-stalled FOI bill, and looking for a procedural move that could ease passage. Activists continue to hope that the government will act to arrange the process so that the bill will not go back to square one in Parliament. The […]