News
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13 January 2012
FOI Notes: Budgets, World Bank, UK, Job
Budget Transparency: The International Budget Partnership has just published Working Papers that “address some of the gaps in the literature” on budget transparency , and verify the usefulness of its Open Budget Index as a measure of budget transparency. “As subnational governments are increasingly charged with implementing government spending, a clear understanding of where, when, […]
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6 January 2012
Ghana Parliament Questioned on Missing RTI Report
Amnesty International Ghana on Jan. 6 called on the Parliamentary Task Force on Right to Information to report, as promised, on public consultations about a long-pending RTI bill. Parliament held nationwide consultations on the bill last summer and was expected to prepare a report. “Amnesty International (and indeed the Coalition on the Right To Information) is […]
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6 January 2012
OGP Issues Invitation for CSO Participation in April Meeting
The Open Government Partnership has invited applications from civil society organizations (CSOs) for participation in the OGP April meeting in Brazil. The OGP has clarified that contrary to earlier indications, the CSO representatives, possibly more than 100, will be allowed to participate in all sessions at the meeting. In addition, the OGP has issued guidance […]
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6 January 2012
Aquino Urges Passage of Modified FOI Bill
President Benigno Aquino has approved his version of freedom of information legislation, altering it to drop a proposal for an information commission. The president’s recommendation for congressional approval was heralded as yet another sign of potential progress toward enactment. The elimination of a commission clause did not distress supporters because they expect that the alternative of […]
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6 January 2012
Nepal Group Seeks Info From Political Parties
The Nepalese group Freedom Forum is using the right to information law to request information from political parties. The group is relying on a provision in the RTI Act of 2007 including political parties as “public agencies” required to disclose information. Freedom Forum said Jan 3 that it has sought the following information with the […]
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6 January 2012
FOIA Notes: Video, UK, Brasil, US, India
Video: A two-minute animated video from The Access Initiative of the World Resources Initiative describes the potential value of participation in the decision-making about a new highway. United Kingdom: Martin Rosenbaum in a BBC report discusses efforts to the reform the UK law. He begins: “Freedom of information has been in force in the UK for […]
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6 January 2012
FOI Bill Tabled in Botswana by Saleshando
A freedom of information bill has been tabled in Botswana and sponsors hope it will be debated in Parliament soon, according to a Botswana Gazette report. Member of Parliament for Gaborone Central Dumelang Saleshando, the president of the minority Botswana Congress Party, introduced the measure in December. But Saleshando said the bill will be debated […]
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30 December 2011
OGP Makes Plans for Elected Steering Committee
By Toby McIntosh The Open Government Partnership Steering Committee plans to invite many civil society organizations to the April OGP meeting in Brazil and to have CSOs elect their representatives to the OGP government body. These are among the decisions made during a Dec. 6 meeting of the Steering Committee, according to minutes made available […]
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30 December 2011
Groups Urge U.S. to Digitize Federal Holdings
Two large U.S. civil society organizations with ties to the Obama administration Dec. 21 recommended that the government embark on a major effort to digitize more information held by government organizations. The letter stated, “Over the last year, a number of efforts have sprung up to create comprehensive digital libraries. The European Union has created […]
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23 December 2011
OGP Deadline Challenging Members, Meeting Notes Say
The Open Governance Partnership Steering Committee is continuing to develop its policies on governance and disclosure while many of the 50 member countries are grappling with the preparation of national action plans that are due in April. Official notes from the December OGP meeting in Brazil suggest that countries are feeling the pinch of the tight […]
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22 December 2011
Indian Sports Ministry Says RTI Covers Cricket Board
The Indian Sports Ministry has asserted that the right to information law covers Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), according to a Times of India report. The ministry submitted a seven-page statement Dec. 16 to the Central Information Commission, saying that the cricket board receives “substantial indirect funding” from the government in the […]
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22 December 2011
FOI Bill Introduced in Botswana by Saleshando
A freedom of information bill has been tabled in Botswana, but will not be debated in Parliament until next year, according to a Botswana Gazette report. Member of Parliament for Gaborone Central Dumelang Saleshando introduced the measure. Saleshando, the president of the minority Botswana Congress Party, said the bill will only be debated only when […]
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19 December 2011
Scotland Considers FOI Reforms; Dunion Urges More
The Scottish government Dec. 16 proposed amendments “to strengthen and improve” the 10-year-old freedom of information law. Minister for Parliamentary Business Brian Adam said the proposals will “allow greater flexibility in reducing the lifespan of exemptions with a view to more information being made available earlier. It will also allow more time for the Information […]
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19 December 2011
Access to Information in Cyprus Poor, Study Finds
The official channels in Cyprus for releasing government information are weak and the public strongly favors improvements, according to the results of a recently completed study. The report was based on research, opinion surveys and consultations conducted by three nongovernmental organizations: Access Info Europe, Cyprus EU Association (KAB) and the Socio-political Studies Institute (IKME), as […]
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16 December 2011
OGP Countries Begin Consultations on Action Plans
Various Open Government Partnership countries have starting holding public consultation on their national action plans, according to reports culled from the media, tweets, and government announcements. News on this front includes: – Latvia starting a working group, – Tanzania posting a draft plan, and – Canada holding a Twitter consultation. The OGP is not maintaining […]
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16 December 2011
UK Says FOIA Covers Official Information in Private Emails
The United Kingdom’s Information Commissioner’s Office Dec. 15 issued guidance “making it clear that information concerning official business held in private email accounts is subject to the Freedom of Information Act.” Information Commissioner Christopher Graham said: It should not come as a surprise to public authorities to have the clarification that information held in private […]
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16 December 2011
Indonesia Pledges to Consult on Controversial Secrecy Bill
The Indonesia government plans to discuss a controversial state secrecy bill with its opponents, according to a report in The Jakarta Globe. Under the bill, the disclosure of classified material is punishable by prison terms of three-four years plus fines, depending on the level of classification. Critics say the definition of what constitutes a state […]
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16 December 2011
Results of Monitoring Study in Armenia Released by Center
The Freedom of Information Center of Armenia has issued a comprehensive report entitled “Freedom of Information in the Republic of Armenia: 2011 Monitoring.” “The biggest problem is the absence of culture among many officials to work openly and transparently, as most of them are still not used to responding to public demands for information and […]
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15 December 2011
EU Parliament Approves Transparency Rule Changes
The European Parliament Dec. 15 voted 394-197, with 35 abstentions, to approve proposals to improve the EU’s access to documents rules. The 2-1 majority action advances the process to the stage of difficult negotiations with the EU Commission and EU Council. During debate Dec. 14, Maroš Šef?ovi?, the European commissioner for inter-institutional relations and administration, […]
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15 December 2011
FOI NOTES: Videos, Videos, Aid Transparency, More
India: To create awareness on the Right to Information Act, It’s Time To Make a Difference (ITMD) released a short film Melukolupu. ITMD plans to screen the film in rural areas to create awareness on RTI among the lesser privileged sections. United Kingdom: BBC FOI expert Martin Rosenbaum in a video providing tips on writing […]