By Karen Clarke
karen@caymannetnews.com

Preparations for implementing the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act continue this week with a visit from an official of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI).

Sohini Paul, Project Officer in the CHRI’s Access to Information Programme, is expected to share examples of good practice from India and other Commonwealth countries with Ministers, Chief Officers and information managers in meetings taking place on 9 and 10 July at the Marriott Beach Resort.

According to their website the CHRI, based in New Delhi, India, is an independent, non-partisan, international non-Government organisation working for the practical realisation of human rights in the countries of the Commonwealth.

Carole Excell, Coordinator in the FOI Unit, said the CHRI had been very supportive of the implementation process by reviewing local legislation and draft regulations and providing examples of relevant documentation.

Mrs Excell explained that the aim of this week’s meetings is to get heads of public authorities to gauge progress and evaluate where they were in relation to the FOI’s Government Implementation Plan. “We’re working towards a January 1 deadline,” she said.

The FOI Act, which comes into effect next January, requires each public authority to appoint an information manager. This person will promote best practice in the maintenance of records, archiving and disposal of data. The information manager will also receive requests for information and complaints about the performance of public authorities.

Mrs Excell said that to date, representatives from 39 public authorities had completed the relevant training for information managers. She added that one of the challenges faced in the run up to January 2009 was “to ensure a consistent approach by all public authorities” in their preparations.

Additional courses would run in July and September by which time all information officers, as well as one other designated person from each public authority, should be trained, the FOI official said.

The law is currently only applicable to public authorities but can be extended by Order to other organisations. Mrs Excell said this would not occur until a review had been carried out to determine whether it would be necessary to broaden the scope of the law to other bodies.