Who are they trying to kid?

The St. Helena Government says we don’t need a Freedom of Information Ordinance because it “keeps to the spirit” of the UK legislation.

What utter nonsense is that?

If they were intending to publish everything, then having the Ordinance wouldn’t be a problem for them, would it?  The fact that they won’t give us an Ordinance shows that “keeping to the spirit” is just a smokescreen.  They publish what they decide to publish – what it’s in their interests to publish – and everything else remains a secret.

Here’s a test.  Next time you’re reading or listening to an ExCo report, listen/read between the lines.  What aren’t they telling us.  For example, “it was agreed that”.  By whom?  Unanimously?  Were there dissenting voices?  Who were they?  What were their arguments?  But all we get is “it was agreed that”, or – sometimes – “after discussion it was agreed that”.   Oh, wow!

This is definitely not even in the spirit of openness!