Topic: Information Commissioner
Levers report remains secret
The circumstances that led a Cayman Islands judge tothe release of a tribunal of inquiry's reportlocal judge'son the bench did not violateFreedom of Information Law.
Duguay’s job up for grabs
Auditor General Dan Duguay confirmed he has been told by Acting Governor Donovan Ebanks there will be a competition for his job and that he must apply if he wants to keep it.
Funds Conference in January
A popular event now making its mark on Cayman's conference calendar is back for 2010.
Secrecy rules changed, not eliminated
Requirements that Cayman Islands civil servants keep certain government information under wraps will remain in local law
FOI court challenge evaporates
In an unexpected reversal last week, the Cayman Islands government decided to drop a court challenge to an open records request that sought the specific salaries of Government Information Services employees.
FOI salary case heads to court
An open records request made by the Caymanian Compass in January for the salaries of all Government Information Services employees is now being challenged in the Grand Court.
Exercise your right to know
By now most of you have heard the repeated mantra that: Freedom of Information legislation is essential to any democratic society in that it promotes transparency and accountability of a government to its people
Right to Know Day kicks off week
International Right to Know Day is celebrated each year on 28 September. Its key aim is to emphasise the importance and benefits of government openness and accountability in any democratic society
Celebrate your right to know
"Official information that enhances people's capacity to exercise their rights belongs in the public domain. This information must be accessible and understandable."
FOI requests drag on
Certain requests for government information under Cayman's Freedom of Information Law (2007) continue to drag on for months beyond time periods specified in the law
Plan for audit reports revealed in House
Lambasting what he called a "media circus" over the issue, Public Accounts Committee Chairman Ezzard Miller Wednesday revealed his plan for releasing auditor general's office reports to the public.
Gov’t contracts get closer scrutiny
The Cayman Islands Information Commissioner acknowledged Monday that new open records laws mean contracts between the government and private entities will be subject to greater public oversight than they were in the past.
FOI requests drop off
Public requests seeking information from the Cayman Islands government and its related authorities and companies have steadily tapered off over the last six months.
GIS boss must disclose salary
In the first hearing of its kind in Cayman, the Information Commissioner has ruled that the salary of the head of the Government Information Services boss should be fully disclosed.
Mac: Make salaries public
Leader of Government Business McKeeva Bush has vowed to make the salaries of government ministers and elected members of the Legislative Assembly public.
Bermuda Premier’s salary released
Bermuda Premier Ewart Brown's annual salary was released in a report last week by the country's major newspaper, The Royal Gazette.
FOI chief hits ‘brick wall’
Cayman Islands Information Commissioner Jennifer Dilbert said this week that she had been frustrated by government bureaucracy in her efforts to get the country's first freedom of information regime up and running.
Today’s Editorial June 25: Gov’t must take FOI lead
When the Freedom of Information Law took effect at the beginning of this year, the Caymanian Compass wrote an editorial saying we were hoping for the best, but we were expecting disappointments, when it came to the implementation of the law's provisions.
FOI hearing over gov’t salaries
Should the salaries of government employees be made public?
Today’s Editorial for June 11: FOI an important tool
Just why does Cayman Free Press want to know the salaries of the employees of Government Information Services?
Appealed decisions
I refer to your recent editorial 'Why are MLA salaries secret? (Wednesday, 11 May).
AG: Gov’t salaries not public
The specific salaries of government employees should generally not be released under Cayman's Freedom of Information Law, according to a legal opinion given to information managers of government departments.
FOI critical to governance
I write in my capacity as Information Commissioner for the Cayman Islands in response to your editorial of 7 April, 2009, 'Scare tactics'.
Government considers releasing salaries
Legal advice is being sought by government on whether a public official's salary should be released under Cayman's Freedom of Information Law, after two requests for certain workers' salaries were made by the Caymanian Compass.
FOI requests delayed but not denied
The Cayman Islands Public Service Pensions Board has deferred the release of two reports concerning the financial health of the public pensions system following requests made under the Freedom of Information Law (2007) by the Caymanian Compass.
Open records requests begin trickling in
The number of open records requests that came in on the first day Cayman's Freedom of Information Law took effect was not overwhelming, but officials were still encouraged at the wide areas of interest those requests covered.
Freedom of Information starts
Most who seek copies of public records in the Cayman Islands as the new Freedom of Information Law takes effect today will have to pay something for those records.
Information Commissioner panel named
A five person panel which will make recommendations to Governor Stuart Jack on the selection of the Cayman Islands' first Information Commissioner has been appointed.
Information commissioner nominations open
Nominations are now open for Cayman's first FOI guardian.
Freedom of information vital to all
The passing of regulations for the nomination and appointment of a Freedom of Information commissioner for the Cayman Islands in the Legislative Assembly paves the way for filling the position of information commissioner, a position essential to the realisation of the Freedom of Information Law.
FOI commissioner selection under way
A panel will be appointed to aid in selecting the person who will ultimately decide what government information is available to the public in the Cayman Islands.
Bracing for FOI
The Cayman Islands government is now in the process of training civil servants for something they've never been required to do before…provide public records to people asking for them.
Cost, cooperation concern Freedom of Information unit
Bureaucratic resistance and the hidden costs of open records requirements are two areas of concern for those attempting to implement the Cayman Islands' Freedom of Information Law.
FOI bill passed
The Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly approved a longawaited Freedom of Information Bill Friday afternoon following a politicallycharged debate.
Cabinet can remove FOI commissioner
The person who will ultimately rule on what government records are released to the public under the Cayman Islands' proposed Freedom of Information Law can be removed from that position at any time by Cabinet ministers.
FOI Bill sets broad guidelines
A Freedom of Information Bill expected to be approved by Cayman Islands lawmakers later this year gives the public wide-ranging ability to seek government records.
$1.2M slated for FOI
Putting a system in place to deal with public requests for government information is expected to cost the Cayman Islands slightly less than $1.2 million in next year's budget.
FOI legislation delayed
The Cayman Islands first Freedom of Information bill is still expected to be voted on in the Legislative Assembly later this year despite the fact it was not taken up in the recently ended LA meeting.
