Draft Public Access to Government Information Bill, 2021

The Public Access to Government Information Bill would put access to Government Information on a statutory basis.  At present access to such information is only considered through an SHG Code.

A draft Bill was considered by the Social Community and Development Committee and then Executive Council last year.  Executive Council advised that the draft Bill should be further amended to include an independent appeal mechanism and then be made available for public comment before returning to them.  The draft Bill has been amended to include such and is now made available for the public to comment.

The draft Bill includes provisions for:

  1. The procedure for information requests to be made, processed and considered
  2. Information exempt from public access
  3. The internal review mechanism
  4. The independent appeal mechanism

A copy of the draft Bill will shortly be available on the SHG Website at: https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/government/public-consultation/. Alternatively, a hard copy can be obtained from the Clerk of Councils, Connie Johnson, by contacting the receptionist at the Castle on tel: 22470.  

Comments on the draft Bill should be sent to the Clerk of Councils either by email via: Connie.Johnson@sainthelena.gov.sh or by post to Clerk of Councils, the Castle, Jamestown, by no later than Friday, 21 May 2021.

SHG
6 May 2021

http://www.sainthelena.gov.sh

St Helena Government Communications Hub

Telephone: 22470
Email: kimberley.peters@sainthelena.gov.sh