‘Exercising’ Right to Know

(CNS): More than 100 people turned out to participate in the Fun Walk / Run / Ride-a-thon taking place this past Saturday morning, which was the last of several set up to help promote Right to Know Week 2009 and the Freedom of Information (FOI) law in the Cayman Islands. Right to Know Day is celebrated internationally on the 28th of September each year and this year the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) organized various outreach events that focused on educating the public on their rights under FOI and letting them know how they can exercise those rights.

The ICO gave educational talks to several schools and service clubs, hosted an open house at their offices and traveled to Cayman Brac to promote their message and role. The Fun Walk / Run / Ride-a-thon, which in previous years was run in conjunction with Sunshine Week, was again hosted by the FOI Unit. “I am thrilled to see so many people participating in the Fun Run” said Information Commissioner Jennifer Dilbert. “I would like to thank and commend the FOI Unit on all the hard work they put into executing this successful event. It is a perfect way to end Right to Know Week 2009.”

Right to Know Week 2009 was the first official outreach initiative by the Information Commissioner’s Office since it’s inception in January of this year. “I have been very encouraged by the public response we have had to Right to Know. There are more and more people who understand their rights under FOI and are now equipped with the tools to make requests and get more involved in the decision making process of government” said Mrs. Dilbert. She also confirmed that while the FOI Unit will continue to provide internal support for public authorities it is now the ICO that has been tasked with educating the public on both their rights under FOI and the role of the ICO in dealing with appeals under the law.