53 complaints over information access filed in 2016

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) had received a total of 53 complaints over inability to acquire information from state institutions in 2016.

The ICO’s report for 2016 also said it has concluded its inquiry into 50 of said complaints.

The Office’s provided figure for last year was much higher than that for 2015.

The report stated that only 28 complaints had been filed, all of which, except for one, had been concluded.

The ICO was established in July 2014, under Article 29 of the Constitution, which stipulates that every citizen has the right to acquire and impart knowledge.

The report for 2016 further said that the Office had conducted awareness programs with the intention to increase the flow of information between institutions 575 civil employees and 174 of its own staff.

The ICO, which carries the autonomous authority to communicate between institutions primarily for purposes of upholding information rights, had also signed an ‘integrity agreement’ with Anti-Corruption Commission.

The Transparency Maldives had in 2015 released a position paper on challenges to the Right To Information Act, which highlighted that state officials are ill-informed about the law and procedures of releasing information, and heads of institutions often influence information officers.