The Access to Information Act gives a general right of access to information to records held by public authorities, except to the extent that such records are protected from disclosure by one of the nine (9) exemptions. The Act seeks to reinforce the basic principles of:

• Government accountability
  
• Transparency; and
  
• Public participation in national decision-making.

• Information/Documentation Managers
•  Access Officers
• Registry Staff
  

•  See documents held by Government bodies
• Ask for personal information to be changed if it is incomplete, out dated, incorrect or misleading July 24, 2007ant access to a document or amend or annotate a personal record

The Act also requires Government Bodies to make available detailed information about the:

• Way they are organized
• Functions they have
• Kinds of decisions they make
• Arrangements they have for public involvement for their work
• Documents they hold and how the public may see them
• Rules and practices which are used in making decisions which affect the public
  

No. There are documents which are exempt from disclosure under the Act. These are documents which it is believed should be kept confidential to protect essential public interests or the private/business affairs of others. Similar statutes internationally recognize these concerns as well and make similar provisions.

Some exempt documents are however subject to public interest tests. Release of exempt documents may also be achieved through an Order of the Minister responsible for Information or after the expiration of 20 years after their creation, or such shorter or longer period as the Minister may specify by Order.