Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2019-02-26

Furnishing of information related to Cabinet decisions under the provisions of the Right to Information Act

- In terms of the provisions of the Right to Information Act, No.12 of 2016, a request made by a citizen for information related to Cabinet decisions was hitherto addressed by the Office of the Cabinet of Ministers. Nevertheless, the recommendation made by the Cabinet Sub‑Committee on Legislation to authorize the Secretaries to Ministries, to provide the citizens directly with the information requested by the Line Ministry itself, with a view to providing the Cabinet decisions and the related information in a more efficient and effective manner, was approved by the Cabinet.
Accordingly, the Cabinet decided to authorize the Secretaries to Ministries and the Secretaries to Non‑Cabinet Ministries to provide the citizens the Cabinet decisions and related documents pertaining to the subject matter within the purview of each Ministry directly, having considered the request made by a citizen in terms of the Right to Information Act, subject to restrictions stipulated therein and the Office of the Cabinet of Ministers to provide only the information not relevant to a particular Cabinet Memorandum or falling within the purview of a Ministry and on which the Cabinet has made a decision under 'Any Other Business'.