News
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12 November 2012
OGP Plans December Meetings in London
The Open Government Partnership Steering Committee has scheduled a Dec. 4 meeting to consider a variety of organization topics, including fine-tuning its independent review mechanism and possibly settling on a revised strategic plan. Public comments on both matters were just posted on the OGP website. Also posted was a long summary of the civil society […]
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12 November 2012
FOI Notes: Conference, New Group, Anti-Corruption, Latin American Research, More
Conference: The Nov. 13 London Open Up! conference is being live streamed. Topics include “Open Development: Improving Service Delivery,” “Open societies, Open Economies,” and “Participation: empowering citizens to demand change.” Open Government: The new organization “Opening Government “ held an event in London Nov. 9-10 that began with a dinner at 10 Downing Street. A large […]
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9 November 2012
House Meeting May Decide Fate of FOI Bill in Philippines
Tuesday, Nov. 13, is looming as a potentially big day for freedom of information legislation in the Philippines. A House committee, after much delay, is scheduled consider the bill on that day. A leading supporter on the House said he is “optimistic” it will pass “as long as the chairman has the courage to support […]
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9 November 2012
Five ‘Late’ Governments Report on OGP Activities
Five governments that missed the April deadline to submit their Open Government Partnership national action plans have either submitted plans or are working on them, according to information provided by the OGP to FreedomInfo.org. The plans for two of the countries – Azerbaijan and Macedonia – are now posted (look under “related files”). The other […]
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9 November 2012
FOI Notes: Open Contracting, UK Data Strategy, Much More
Open Contracting: The first global meeting on open contracting is held in South Africa. See website here. The description says: Within the context of improved governance and service delivery, Open Contracting refers to norms, practices and methodologies for increased transparency and monitoring in public contracting, including contracts implemented by multilateral donors. Open Contracting begins with […]
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9 November 2012
Bulgarian Sports Minister Told to Supply Information
The Bulgarian sports ministry has been ordered to provide information about its contracts with the Bulgarian Ski Federation, and another sport-related transparency case is pending, according to information from the Access to Information Programme. The Ministry of Physical Education and Sports was instructed to provide information on all its contracts (their objects, prices, documents on […]
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7 November 2012
World Bank Proposes Loan for Tunisia With Access Clause
Improved access to information is a goal and condition of a proposed $500 million loan for Tunisia soon to be considered by the World Bank Executive Board. The goal established is for Tunisia to have granted “at least 25 requests for information by citizens” by the end of 2014.” This goal would be established if […]
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6 November 2012
Argentina Joins OGP, Becomes 58th Member
Argentina has committed to join the Open Government Partnership, bringing OGP membership to 58. A short notice posted on the OGP website Nov. 6 links to the brief letter dated Oct. 29 from the Argentine government. Argentina will become the 58th country to participate in OGP, and the 14th from Latin America. “OGP welcomes Argentina’s […]
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6 November 2012
Indian CIC Orders Agency to Disclose Corruption Files
India’s chief information commissioner, Satyendra Mishra, has ruled that even an agency exempt from the right to information law may not withhold information related to corruption by public officials or human rights violations. In his Nov. 2 order, Mishra mandated the Central Bureau of Information to provide requested information, subject to RTI Act exemptions, according […]
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6 November 2012
Argentinian President Issues Declassification Decree
Argentina’s President Cristina Kirchner has issued a decree declassifying decrees and resolutions that had been kept secret in the past, but with exceptions. The Oct. 31 decree says disclosure will not occur if the decrees or resolutions relate to national security, homeland security, foreign relations, conflicts with other states and military conflicts in the South […]
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2 November 2012
Indian Cabinet Withdraws Controversial RTI Proposal
The Indian Cabinet Nov. 1 pulled back from a six-year-old proposal to dilute the Right to Information Act. The action was a relief to activists. The main effect of the changes, planned back in 2006, would have been to restrict access to “file notings” – documents in which officials make comments about proposed policies. Withdrawing […]
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2 November 2012
Ghana Parliament Adjourns Without Passing FOI Law
Ghana recently held public meetings on its overdue national action plan as a member of the Open Government Partnership and is nearing creation of an open data portal, but parliament just adjourned without fulfilling the promise of the ruling party to pass a right to information law. The ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Ghana’s new president and […]
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2 November 2012
Scottish Committee Rejects Government FOI Proposals
A Scottish Parliament committee has asked the government to drop a proposed exemption for the British royalty from the freedom of information law and to consider bringing private organizations performing public functions under the act. The Nov. 1 report and press release by the Finance Committee was welcomed by the Campaign for Freedom of Information […]
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2 November 2012
FOI Notes: MENA Newsletter, Funding, Conference Videos
MENA Newsletter: Newsletter #5 of the Regional Dialogue on Access to Information in the Middle East and North Africa contains a summary of the activities that stakeholders in Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia on access to information. It also includes three guest columns on the history of the International Right to Know Day, how other […]
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2 November 2012
South African Minister Opposes Secrecy Bill Changes
South African State Security Minister Siyabonga Cwele Oct. 31 opposed several amendments made to the Protection of State Information Bill that critics have said were improvements to a still flawed bill. He called for the parliamentary committee working on the bill to reinstate a five-year prison sentence for those who disclose classified information. Cwele also […]
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2 November 2012
Hawke to Eye Australian FOI Act, Attorney General Says
The Australian government Oct. 31 announced a review of the 1982 Freedom of Information Act. The Attorney General named an experienced government official to conduct the inquiry, Allan Hawke. Hawke’s background and the announcement are discussed in a posting by FOI blogger Peter Timmins. The review is to explore whether the law continues to “provide […]
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1 November 2012
Liberian FOI Law Backed; Sirleaf Order Criticized
As an U.S. backed effort continued to support Liberia in implementing its new freedom of information law, a Liberian group has said the Liberian president is undercutting the law. The Carter Center, with support from the United States Agency for International Development, held a conference as part of a project to raise the awareness of […]
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1 November 2012
Peruvian Group Forms to Monitor OGP Efforts
The Working Group of the Alliance for Open Government in Peru on Oct. 25 announced the creation of a matrix of indicators to assist in monitoring the implementation of the national action plan the Peruvian government created as a member of the Open Government Partnership. The membership of the working group includes members from the […]
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31 October 2012
OGP Selects Linda Frey to Be New Executive Director
The Open Government Partnership Oct. 31 announced that Linda Frey of the Hewlett Foundation will be the new OGP Executive Director. The same announcement also says Joseph Foti is the OGP’s Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) Program Manager. (See previous FreedomInfo.org report.) Further expansion is in the offing. Job postings are now on the OGP website for […]
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29 October 2012
Peru’s Council of Ministers Restrict Access to Documents
Peru’s Council of Ministers has restricted access to documents produced as part of the deliberative process prior to a governmental decision-making, including its agenda. The Council of Ministries’ resolution (in Spanish) regulates one of the exceptions to the right of access to information established in the FOI and Transparency Act. Article 17, clause 1 establishes […]