Secretariat: Hosted by Jamaica Environment Trust with technical support from with Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide
Contact: Danielle Andrade, Legal Director at Jamaica Environment Trust (JET), at dandrade.jet [at] gmail.com
Established: 2013
Background: A regional meeting to discuss the status of Freedom of Information Laws in the Caribbean was held on 20-21st March 2013 in Kingston, Jamaica. A total of 57 participants from 12 Caribbean countries attended the conference. The Conference was organized by the Jamaica Environment Trust, the World Resources Institute, the Access Initiative, Jamaicans for Justice, the Mona School of Business and Management and the Unit of Access to Information of the Government of Jamaica. This Regional Conference provided an opportunity for dialogue and sharing of experiences on the adoption and implementation of FOI laws in the Caribbean as well as to outline regional possibilities for advancement and collaboration.
One important outcome of the Kingston conference was the creation of an Action Plan to improve FOI in the region (Download the Action Plan). This plan identifies the following stages:
• countries with no FOI legislation;
• countries with FOI legislation that has passed but has not been implemented;
• countries with FOI legislation that has been passed and implemented but have significant problems;
• countries with fully-enforced FOI legislation.
A second important outcome was the establishment of the Caribbean Freedom of Information Network (CFOIN), which will allow participants to continue dialogue, share FOI implementation experiences, and discuss plans to improve FOI across the region. CFOIN is managed by the Jamaica Environment Trust with technical support from with Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide. To join the Caribbean FOI network, please contact Danielle Andrade, Legal Director at Jamaica Environment Trust (JET), at dandrade.jet [at] gmail.com.
Participants expressed the desire to make this conference an annual event; plans for a second conference are to follow.
View the documents from the Kingston conference here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ptjvkujvd53gxz1/74hgLDB80D