Proposed new privacy law open for comment
(CNS): The Cayman public now has two months to examine and review critical draft legislation regulating the collection and use of personal data by all businesses, organisations and government entities. The new bill also deals with the individual right of people to access their own personal information and have more control over how it is used. The draft Data Protection Bill 2012 aims to provide legal protection of individual rights without being overly-bureaucratic, officials said this week, as the long awaited proposed law was published for public review. David Archbold, of the Information and Communications Technology Authority, said the bill will have tangible benefits for the Cayman Islands and be an effective tool to advance the right to privacy.
Archbold who was chair of the group established back in 2009 to begin the process of formulating the law urged all members of the public as well as companies, professional associations and civil society groups to become familiar with the proposals and provide feedback.
“Data Protection affects everyone and the Working Group seeks to present a comprehensive Bill to Cabinet that suits the needs of the Cayman Islands while meeting international standards. Some practical issues and implications have already been identified but we are very interested in hearing from individuals and specific business sectors that expect any additional areas will be particularly challenging.”
Officials said that the members of the Data Protection working group who were drawn from both public and private sector organisations to work on the legislation came up with a draft which should not be over burdensome on government or the private sector but at the same time promotes best practice.
The collection and use of personal data is essential to the functioning of modern society and although the working group believes many businesses and organisations will already be in compliance with the provisions of the proposed legislation, the bill seeks to provide a minimum standard for protection of personal data.
“The scope of the draft Bill is quite broad, with exemptions in the public interest or for the protection of other rights and freedoms,” government officials said in a release.
The 69 page draft Data Protection Bill 2012 and the accompanying consultation papers are available at www.dataprotection.ky and in hard copy from the Government Administration Building at 133 Elgin Avenue. Members of the public are asked to provide comments by Friday, 2 November 2012 and can call 244 3607 for more information.
Category: Local News
More expense not needed in our community. Confidential information is already protected and that includes personal information. We need to stop adopting systems from much larger countries – the bureaucracy and mini empires in creates is killing us.
Is Mac going to use this to make sure that his budget remains private and totally in his hads, so no-one will know what he is really up to? Be careful Cayman…he is quite capable of slipping something like that in there…
Please actually read the article and draft bill before making silly comments. It's incredibly clear you have no idea what you're talking about in this instance.
Data protection relates to the protection of your personal data in the collection, usage and holding security by both the goverment and private companies. Basically it will disallow companies and gov't to ask for and hold information they do not reasonably need, will require them to provide you with why they request information from you, and in certain instances can make them criminally liable for misuse of, and negligence in keeping secure, your private data records held by them.
It has nothing to do with Mac's budget, and I assure you I am no fan of his. Just get your facts straight before speaking so you don't tie legitimate complaints against him in with your asinine theories.
20.51 -Clearly you have no sense of humour. Please read again my comment, so that you can clearly see that the intent of my post was ridicule of the Premier's considerable ability not to tell things as they are, or as of today, not even tell us where he is or what he is doing.
I could not be asanine if I wanted to be, I do not know what it means, and thanks, but dont bother to explain. Unless of course you don't have any friends, which would not be surprising given how stiff and uptight you appear to be, and then I would be very happy to humour you in the spirit of good neighbourliness.
So thank you for your lesson, I printed it off, read it in the toilet and its all behind me now.