Governor’s message
The annual Right to Know Week is as a useful reminder to us all of the importance of open and transparent government. The free flow of information is essential to any democratic society and an open and transparent government is a stronger, more effective government.
The introduction of the Freedom of Information Law to the Cayman Islands in 2007 was an important development in this regard. It has given the general public the right to ask the Government questions and receive answers, so making public authorities more accountable for their actions and decisions. It has also helped Government to improve the management of its information and records.
But we are all still learning. I would encourage public authorities to continue to embrace the Freedom of Information Law and to go beyond simply dealing with Freedom of Information requests speedily and helpfully. I would like to see up be more proactive in putting as much information as possible about our work and our decisions into the public domain. The more proactive we are in making information available to the public, the fewer Freedom of Information requests we will need to respond to.
Governor Duncan Taylor
Commissioner’s message
This week, my office, the Information Commissioner’s Office, has spearheaded an amazing week of promotional and educational activities centred on Freedom of Information in Cayman and the operation of our Freedom of Information Law. Today, as we join countries worldwide in celebrating Right to Know Day, I should like to express my thanks to the many persons involved.
First, I thank the small but dedicated staff of the ICO who has, on top of an already very heavy workload with our appeals related work, put so much time and effort into these activities. With very limited funding available, our focus has had to be on labour intensive or media based events, including “meet and greet” sessions at the Hospital, the Market at Camana Bay, this morning at the Government Administration Building and tomorrow at Market at the Grounds. We invite the public to come out and meet with us if have already not done so. Our media based outreach has involved brainstorming, coming up with and executing novel and interesting ideas to promote FOI.
Second, I must express my gratitude to the Government Information Services who have produced our media packaging, including Spotlight, our public service announcements, advertisements, posters and the like. Included in these products are views of the public, and I appreciate each person that agreed to be interviewed to give their candid views on FOI, either on video or for the newspapers. Also contributing to our promotional items are our small models, who endured standing still in the hot sun holding up placards and being photographed. Although their fee was only a cupcake, their images have gone worldwide with the International Information Commissioner’s Website using them on their Right to Know Day page.
Information managers in many of government’s 92 public authorities have also been involved in a number of ways, including attending a seminar, using our Right to Know Week tip of the day and logo, visiting and assisting us with our meet and greet events, and participating today in our dress down in blue. I thank them for their hard work and enthusiasm. Senior officers within government have also joined in promoting RTK this week, in particular the Governor and the Deputy Governor, and I thank them for their support.
The ICO is very appreciative of the interest and involvement of the press as we celebrate our Right to Know. This took the form not only in interviews and press conferences, but also with the provision of free space and time in their publications, on TV and on the radio.
Finally I thank the public for their continued interest in learning about and using this important tool and exercising their “Right to Know”. I encourage everyone to continue to uphold and promote the Freedom of Information Law, so that Cayman may advance in the areas of good governance, transparency and accountability, and that citizens may become better informed and involved.
Jennifer Dilbert
Information Commissioner of the Cayman Islands
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