Section 3: Overview of RTI regimes in the Pacific In this part, an overview of the RTI laws and their implementation in the Cook Islands, Fiji, Palau and Vanuatu is presented with a focus on the areas that could be strengthened in order to better facilitate the public’s access to information. Scoring and assessments by Global RTI Rating, the leading global methodology for assessing the strength of RTI legal frameworks, are referenced.63 Seven categories - Right of Access, Scope, Requesting Procedures, Exceptions and Refusals, Appeals, Sanctions and Protections, Promotional Measures – are rated against 61 indicators for a total score of 150, with higher scores indicating a stronger law. For a more comprehensive review of each law, readers are directed to the Global RTI Rating (also see Figure 4).64
A. Rating of RTI laws in PICS VANUATU
RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT 201665
119/150
The enactment of Vanuatu’s Right to Information Act 2016 (RTIA) began with the development of an RTI policy, which was spearheaded by a National Media Policy and RTI Committee, which then became the RTI Steering Committee upon passage of the RTIA. The Committee was established by the Prime Minister’s Office and was supported in its work by the UN-PRAC Project. Committee membership was inclusive, comprising of representatives from the Government, the Media Association of Vanuatu (MAV) and local NGOs.66 This high level of early CSO inclusion and participation resulted in the law 63 The Global RTI Rating was launched in 2011 and is widely used by inter-governmental organizations, RTI advocates, reformers, legislators and others. https://www.rti-rating.org/. 64 Ibid. 65 Right to Information 2016 (Vanuatu). 66 Vanuatu Government/Pac News. 2013. Vanuatu National Right to Information Policy. PINA. 21 August. [online]. Available from: http://www.pina.com.fj/?p=pacnews.
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