Six years after it was first announced by then-Premier Alex Scott, the Bermuda Government has published its draft freedom of information access (FOIA) law for public consultation.
A successful public access to information law (PATI) would represent a significant step ahead in Bermuda’s development, so I encourage all Bermudians to read through it and to participate in the consultation.
Bermuda PATI Draft law [pdf]
Bermuda PATI Consultation Handbook [pdf]
I’ll post my thoughts here once I have properly read them, and compared them to model laws used elsewhere. I will say that I have to admire Premier Brown’s supreme chutzpah by 1) making PATI fall under his direct responsibility, 2) suggesting that it will take 2-3 years to implement after the law is passed, and 3) that the law will only apply to information gathered by Government from that point on (also known as AIR or “after I retire”).
Apart from that, the Premier’s speech was a yawner. He blames it on the recession. And when he said “unity” did he mean “impunity”?
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