Ombudsman takes the Right-to-Know into local schools

The Office of the Ombudsman is bringing the message that knowledge is power and public transparency builds trust into local schools next week as we mark Cayman’s 16^th year of Freedom of Information legislation ahead of International Right-to-Know day.  

The Ombudsman’s Information Rights Division is conducting a youth-focused outreach initiative aimed at educating Cayman Islands students about their right to access public information and empowering them to use it.

Starting Monday, 21 September, Ombudsman office staff members will visit three schools: John Gray High School, the University College of the Cayman Islands (UCCI) and Grace Christian Academy, delivering interactive presentations designed to spark curiosity, civic awareness and leadership potential among students aged 14 to 18.

The presentations to students will focus on three key messages regarding Freedom of Information:

·         Knowledge is Power: Understanding the right to access information is a foundation for informed decision-making and civic engagement.

·         Transparency Builds Trust: Young people have a role in holding institutions accountable and shaping a transparent future.

·         Leadership Starts with Awareness: 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 the Ombudsman, Ms. 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 Freedom of Information.

Each year, International Right-to-Know day is held to educate the public on Freedom of Information 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 FOIA 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.  FOIA statistics for 2024 are expected to be tabled in Parliament and made public later this year.

Simply making a FOIA 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, 

If you’re seeking more information about FOIA in the Cayman Islands or wishing to appeal FOIA decisions to the Ombudsman, please contact our office at 946-6283 or email us at info@ombudsman.ky. Our website, www.ombudsman.ky, also has more information about FOIA.