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From:TheBahamasWeekly.com Letters to The Editor A FOI Act is a powerful tool in the fight against corruption. It empowers citizens by giving them a mechanism to gain answers to questions they have about how their country is governed. A FOI Act promotes government transparency and accountability, and mitigates any perception of corruption within the government. More than 100 countries have implemented FOI laws but the Bahamas remains one of the few countries within the Caribbean region that has not. “The enactment of a FOI Act should be a high priority for the Bahamas and all governments that truly value democracy and the rights of its citizens,” said Alejandro Salas, Regional Director for the Americas at Transparency International, in support of the regional initiative. Since 2012 there have been multiple delays preventing the enactment and implementation of a viable FOIA in the Bahamas. While there has been limited progress on public consultation, it is evident that the enactment of a FOIA is not a high priority for the country’s legislative agenda. We, the undersigned, call on the Bahamian government to follow its democratic principles by providing its citizens with the fundamental human right of a Freedom of Information Act. Transparency International Citizens for a Better Bahamas National Integrity Action, Jamaica Trinidad & Tobago Transparency Institute
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Transparency International, the global anti-corruption movement, and
its partner organisations in the Caribbean, including Citizens for a
Better Bahamas (CBB), call on the government of the Bahamas to introduce
strong Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation.