FOI

Freedom of Information

As a public authority, The Family Resource Centre is committed to openness, transparency and serving the public interest in compliance with the Freedom of Information Act, (2021 Revision).

The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act was passed on 19th October 2007 and came into effect in January 2009. It gives the public a right of access to all types of records held by public authorities, but also sets out some exemptions from that right.

How do I make a request?

Applications for information do not need to be made on a particular form, but may be made on the application form provided below if preferred. In accordance with the Freedom of Information (General) Regulations 2021 Revision, (FOI Regulations), an application shall include the following:

• A name (may be a pseudonym);
• A postal address or e-mail address to which notices and information can be sent;
• Details of the records, including (if known) the period and/or geographic area to which the information relates; dates relevant to the information needed; the name or other identifying characteristics of the document; and
• The form of access preferred (e.g. electronic or photocopies).

Complete the FOI Request Form.

Who should I address my request to?

If you wish to submit an FOI request you can send it for the attention of our Information Manager or Deputy Information Manager:

What should I do before making a request?

Please check our Disclosure Log to see if the information you would like is not already available.

When Information May Be Withheld

The FOI Act does not apply to certain public functions or records – including the judicial functions of a Court, strategic or operational intelligence-gathering activities of the security or intelligence services, and private holdings of the National Archive – and does not override other legislation that restricts access to records.

The general right of access in the FOI Act is also subject to limited exemptions which balance the right of access against the public interest in not disclosing information that would prejudice governmental or commercial interests or constitute an unreasonable disclosure of personal information of a third party.

In limited instances, there may be procedural reasons why an FOI request is not granted, e.g. compliance with the request would amount to an unreasonable diversion of resources and the Information Manager is unable to sufficiently narrow the scope following consultation with the applicant.

If you have made an FOI request and do not receive everything you have asked for, you are entitled to a written response that explains the reasons for that decision. You will also have the right to appeal that decision if you are not satisfied. In the first instance, this is usually by way of internal review by the Chief Officer or Head of Department.

Publication Scheme

Each public authority covered by the Freedom of Information Act has a legal duty to adopt and maintain a publication scheme in accordance with Section 5 of the FOI Act. The main purpose of a publication scheme is to make information readily available without the need for specific written requests. Schemes are intended to encourage organizations to publish proactively, and develop a greater culture of openness.

The Law states that Information to be published by public authorities includes:-

• The functions of the authority, what work it does and how it sets about its tasks.
• The departments and agencies of the authority.
• The subjects handled by each department or authority, with the locations of the departments and agencies and the opening hours of all offices.
• The title and business address of the Principal Officer and other key officers within the authority.
• Classes of records held.
• Manuals, interpretations, rules, guidelines, practices or precedents.

DCS Publication Scheme

The Ombudsman

The Ombudsman is the supervisory authority for FOI in the Cayman Islands. As an impartial and independent office of Parliament, the Ombudsman handles complaints and appeals, monitors and reports on compliance, makes general or specific recommendations for reform, and is responsible for public education. The Ombudsman also reports to Parliament on the operations of the FOI Act and may undertake investigations, either proactively or in response to a complaint.

You can learn more about FOI and the Ombudsman’s role at https://ombudsman.ky/foi