Right to Information Bill: A defeat of public aspirations for transparency in the Central Bank?
Pledge to allow citizens to get information from public bodies
Monday, 28 March 2016
There was an important pledge given by the current government in its Manifesto seeking election to power at the General Elections held in August, 2015. That was to introduce measures to assure the right of the people to information, a demand that had been there in the air quite for some time. To fulfil this pledge, a draft bill, after it had been approved by all the nine Provincial Councils in terms of the Constitution, has now been presented to Parliament (available at: http://www.media.gov.lk/images/pdf_word/Right_to_information_English.pdf ). If the Bill is enacted, Sri Lanka would be one among 100 countries globally and the 7th country in South Asia to add such a legislation to its law books. Given the current concerns about the fiduciary responsibilities of the rulers, rights of citizens in an economic democracy and the need for maintaining full disclosure and transparency in public affairs, the enactment of such legislation, though somewhat belated, could be viewed as a step taken in the right direction. It is specifically important in the current context since the previous government had vehemently opposed its enactment despite the pressure exerted by civil society organisations for such a law in Sri Lanka. However, the examination of the draft bill shows that it falls short of the aspirations of the citizens on many counts.
Public’s right to have information to express their views effectively
Pledge to allow citizens to get information from public bodies
Monday, 28 March 2016There was an important pledge given by the current government in its Manifesto seeking election to power at the General Elections held in August, 2015. That was to introduce measures to assure the right of the people to information, a demand that had been there in the air quite for some time. To fulfil this pledge, a draft bill, after it had been approved by all the nine Provincial Councils in terms of the Constitution, has now been presented to Parliament (available at: http://www.media.gov.lk/images/pdf_word/Right_to_information_English.pdf ). If the Bill is enacted, Sri Lanka would be one among 100 countries globally and the 7th country in South Asia to add such a legislation to its law books. Given the current concerns about the fiduciary responsibilities of the rulers, rights of citizens in an economic democracy and the need for maintaining full disclosure and transparency in public affairs, the enactment of such legislation, though somewhat belated, could be viewed as a step taken in the right direction. It is specifically important in the current context since the previous government had vehemently opposed its enactment despite the pressure exerted by civil society organisations for such a law in Sri Lanka. However, the examination of the draft bill shows that it falls short of the aspirations of the citizens on many counts.
Public’s right to have information to express their views effectively
