Colombo Gazette: Sri Lanka: Wednesday, May 31, 2017.
The RTI
Commission says it recently concluded the hearing of some Appeals, during which
process Appellants received the information that had been requested under the
Act from Public Authorities noticed to appear before the Commission, to the
satisfaction of the parties concerned.
Currently, several more Appeals are pending hearing.
The
Commission has been receiving many requests for guidance from Public
Authorities in respect of procedural and substantive aspects of the RTI Act
along with letters from Citizens (including public officers themselves) on
injustices caused to them by the denial of information. Close to threehundred
such letters have been received during the past months.The Commission is
heartened by the use of RTI as evinced thereto. Responses to the letters have
beenon an individual basis, strictly in chronological order of the date of
receipt. As the Commission is still operating with a skeletal staff from
temporary premises, it is responding as speedily as possible to the same.
Particularly
in regard to advice being requested by information officers of Public
Authorities, the Commission notes that it will respond in terms of Section 5(5)
of the Act where advice is being sought regarding a procedural matter
‘connected with the grant of access to any information.’ However it is
regretfully unable to advice on a substantial matter relating to the
application of the Act given that this may prejudice the hearing of that same
matter, in the event that it comes up formally in appeal. In this regard, the
Commission wishes to emphasize the primary aim of the RTI Act is the maximum
disclosure of information subject to narrowly drawn exemptions that again must
yield to the overriding principle of the public interest.
The
Commission calls upon Public Authorities who have not yet complied, to abide by
the mandatory statutory duty to name and publicise the appointment of
Information Officers and Designated Officers as required by the Act.
It is also with
great pleasure that the Commission announces the forthcoming launch of the
Commission’s RTI logo as well as its website which will be in a basic form and
further updated progressively. The website will have links to the Commission’s
Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP) for the years 2017-2019, concluded appeals,
and relevant documents relating to RTI. Importantly it will also feature drafts
of Rules on Inquiries and Report Formats (under Section 10) as per Section 42
of the Act, as well as Guidelines relating to the proactive disclosure of
Public Authorities under Sections 8 and 9 of the Act. These draft Rules and
Guidances are being put into the public domain for feedback prior to
finalisation and gazetting.
Public
responses are being invited in regard to the same in view of the Commission’s
firm belief that public participation in the yet evolving RTI process is
indispensable to bringing about a culture of accountability and openness in Sri
Lanka.The Commission hopes to soon embark on the facilitation of training
activities for public officials as required under the Act.