By Cayman News
Copyright caymannewsservice
(CNS): Staff from the Office of the Ombudsman will be visiting the John Gray High School, the University College of the Cayman Islands (UCCI) and Grace Christian Academy next week to deliver interactive presentations about freedom of information, which a release from the OMB said are “designed to spark curiosity, civic awareness and leadership potential among students aged 14 to 18”.
The OMB’s Information Rights Division is conducting this youth-focused outreach to educate Cayman Islands students about their right to access public information and empowering them to use it. The presentations to students will focus on three key messages.
These are: ‘knowledge is power’ and that understanding the right to access information is a foundation for informed decision-making and civic engagement; ‘transparency builds trust’ and that young people have a role in holding institutions accountable and shaping a transparent future; and lastly, ‘leadership starts with awareness’ and that tomorrow’s leaders must be equipped with the tools to seek truth, ask questions, and demand accountability.
“As a team, we believe that knowledge is power. Every young person deserves to understand how access to information supports democracy, accountability and their future roles as leaders. These school visits are an investment in the next generation of informed and engaged citizens,” said Ombudsman Sharon Roulstone.
Other secondary schools not receiving visits this week will be included in the Right-to-Know programme which continues to the end of the year, ensuring that every high school age student has the opportunity to learn about FOI, the OMB said.
Each year, International Right-to-Know Day is held to educate the public on FOI and open records laws worldwide to support public access to information.
Cayman’s original FOI Law (now the Freedom of Information Act or FOIA) took effect on 5 January 2009, granting individuals the legal right to request information held by public sector entities. Since then, hundreds of FOI requests have been made each year leading to hundreds of disclosures of public records, either in full or in part.
In 2023, approximately 637 open records requests were made, 427 of which resulted in the disclosure of some information. FOI statistics for 2024 are expected to be tabled in Parliament and made public later this year, the OMB said.
However, the office noted that simply making an FOI request does not guarantee that the records sought will be released, if they fall under one of the Act’s exemptions to disclosure. In general, the FOI Act ensures requests for information must receive a government response within 30 days,
Anyone seeking more information about FOI in the Cayman Islands or wishing to appeal FOI decisions to the Ombudsman, can call 946-6283 or email info@ombudsman.ky.
