Call for a free Freedom of Information Act

Malta needs a truly free Freedom of Information Act because the Bill being discussed in Parliament exempts too may entities from its provisions, Alternattiva Demokratika said.

It is very unfortunate that the Bill exempts the Electoral Commission, the Employment Commission, the Public Service Commission, the Attorney General's Office, the National Audit Office and the Security Service from being scrutinised by the public, Stephen Cachia, AD spokesman on democratic institutions and civil rights, said.

Moreover, the Freedom of Information Act being discussed in Parliament also exempts Cabinet documents and some documents falling under the Broadcasting Authority.

The Bill, Mr Cachia said, should have made a blanket declaration of freedom of information subject only to those limited cases where the security of the state would be threatened by the proposed disclosure.

Another negative aspect of the Bill is that it limits the right to freedom of information to persons who have been resident in Malta for at least five years.