The Right to Know and Records & Info Management

The object of the Freedom of Information Act (2020 Revision) (‘FOIA’) as stated under section 4 is to grant the public a general right of access to records held by public authorities, thereby promoting certain fundamental principles, namely —
a. governmental accountability;
b. transparency; and
c. public participation in national decision-making.

Ultimately, the success of legislation to access public information rests firmly on the ability of the government to create and maintain – and persons to seek out and obtain – reliable, trustworthy and accurate government records. Without effective management of the records, it is not possible to provide quality access to reliable and useful information.

FOIA and RIM

RIM, as mandated by the National Archive and Public Records Act (2015 Revision) [NAPRA], and the FOIA are intrinsically linked, as a robust RIM system is essential for public
bodies to comply with the legislative obligations to capture and provide access to the information. 

Section 52(3) of the FOIA requires the Deputy Governor to issue a code of practice to help authorities establish a framework for the management of their records. The
Code of Practice on Records Management (the Code) identifies requirements of the NAPRA that are particularly relevant to the implementation and functioning of the FOIA.