Freedom of Information
During the last months, freedom of information was a subject I turned to from time to time on my sister blog. Last December I noted that Malta was one of only three European Union countries without a proper law that gives access to public information. In a letter on today's Times, the outgoing Ombudsman explains:
A few weeks ago, the authorities announced that they are 'evaluating the viability' of introducing such a law. It took eight years for the government to start thinking about the proposal made by the Ombudsman. God knows how many more years we have to wait before a Freedom of Information Act is ratified by Parliament.
In my role as Parliamentary Ombudsman I always firmly held the view that after the setting up of the Office of the Ombudsman, the next step to enhance the democratic process and give substance to the concept of transparency in public administration would be to enact a modern freedom of information law. I made the point eight years ago when I mentioned the need for such a law in my annual report for 1997 (paragraph 8.8, page 47).
A few weeks ago, the authorities announced that they are 'evaluating the viability' of introducing such a law. It took eight years for the government to start thinking about the proposal made by the Ombudsman. God knows how many more years we have to wait before a Freedom of Information Act is ratified by Parliament.
Sat Aug 27, 09:46:47 PM CESTIn the many years during which I did research in Malta, I was always frustrated by the lack of access to public records. They were not sensitive or commercial records; rather, things like the nomination papers filed by candidates or the appendices to the Gonzi Commission Report on electoral reform. I never got these.
Typically, in asking (very politely) for various documents, I would be told that they did not exists or that they could not be found. Some functionaries, perhaps being embarrassed, would say that the wanted item could be produced by another office at a later time (but it never did).
So I have given up trying to get Maltese sources for my research.
John C. Lane
State University of N.Y. at Buffalo
psclane@buffalo.edu
Mon Oct 17, 05:44:55 PM CEST
This situation is embarassing to
progressive opinion in Malta.
It is an ouright shame that ,40 years after becoming masters in their own home, Maltese politicians have not yet managed to start walking in step with the forces of enlightened democracy.
Until they do,the hour of liberation from the defenders of the status quo will be an elusive aspiration.
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