Information Disclosure Policy: A Toolkit for Pacific Governments (July 2006)
### EXPLANATORY NOTES Ensuring information is accessible by all Use existing government networks Considering the scarce resources available to develop new information infrastructures, it is more strategic to consider how existing communication and outreach networks can be harnessed for maximum effect. For example, existing radio and TV services can be a cheap but effective method for disseminating government information. Almost all Pacific islands have government radio services which could be used to disclose key government information and 5 have government TV services.33 Many governments have also invested in maintaining radio networks in provincial offices, local health clinics, schools or village centres which could be better utilised. In fact, health clinics could be developed as "information hubs" as they often constitute a village meeting point, where parents meet and share information. Likewise, local schools could double up as information hubs, where important information could be pinned to noticeboards or sent home to parents via their school children. Where they exist, village court networks could also be tasked with disseminating more government information. Existing community outreach networks could also be utilised. Many Provincial Government, Rural Development and/or Natural Resources Ministries have programmes which involve fieldworkers or rely on officials stationed outside of the capital. These workers can be used as local information officers, who could be tasked with disseminating key documents and messages and assisting people to use the new Policy. For example, in Papua New Guinea, the Department For Community Development is currently working on the establishment of informal Community Resource Centres, which will operate as community focal points in each province. They will house officers from the Community Development Division, but will also provide a centre for civil society interaction with government. Key questions: What government systems exist for disseminating information to the public, not only within the ministry for information, but within other ministries (eg. school noticeboards, health clinic radio systems, provincial government offices)? Are there ministries which deal with outreach to village areas (eg. ministry of provincial government, ministry for rural affairs)? Are there any programmes or resources available through those ministries which could be used to promote information disclosure? Can the Development Assistance Funds available to MPs in many Pacific countries be specifically targeted towards promoting information disclosure, eg. via MPs local offices? Use existing community networks Taking into account the resource and personnel constraints faced by many Pacific countries, government needs to harness all of the current resources available to the government - including resources that may be owned or run by non-government bodies. Many NGOs and church-based organisations have strong community outreach networks (eg. fieldworkers stationed in rural areas as community liaisons). Five countries have community radio.34 Rather than attempting to duplicate these networks, government may wish to partner with them - formally or informally - so that they can be developed as community information points. Where the government provides information on a government website, community networks can also be encouraged to take the information, simplify it and share it with their constituents. Basic training may be provided to community groups to assist them to understand government documents (eg. budget information) before they disseminate them to the general public. Key questions: What forms of media exist (eg. newspapers, commercial and/or community radio, television, internet news)? What languages do they operate in? Which have the most outreach? Are there any community organisations or networks already in place which could be utilised by the government to promote information disclosure? Do these groups have communications infrastructure that could be put to good use? Are there traditional community fora/networks/channels which could be harnessed as information dissemination points? Do NGOs and civil society groups have community networks or run outreach programmes? Are there reliable church-based networks which could be used to disseminate information (in an unbiased, non-proselytising way)? Is any department already responsible for liaising with civil society (churches, NGOs, traditional groups, etc)? Could that ministry use its existing contacts or programmes as entry points for community activities on information disclosure and dissemination? Government website Although computer infrastructure is currently limited in the Pacific, nonetheless, most Pacific governments have been able to set up a single website which is supposed to publish government information. Even in countries with limited communications infrastructure, the internet can be a key dissemination point, particularly if coupled with a strategy which encourages other networks (eg. churches or NGOs) to print and disseminate the information. In this respect, the Model IDP is based on the assumption that the cost of ensuring that a single government website is kept up to date with useful information will be outweighed by the benefits of greater information disclosure. For example, server space rented from an existing overseas provider and regularly updated using off-the-shelf web design software by a computer specialist who is responsible for the entire government website, could be a cheap first step towards more effective web dissemination of government information. Training a public servant to manage the government's websites could reduce costs over time. Key questions: Does the government currently run a website? Do separate departments have websites? Are these websites linked to each other in any way? Who is responsible for updating the website(s)? Could current financial and personnel resources be more effectively deployed? What protocols can be developed which promote proactive disclosure - eg. when key files which need to be published are created who should they be sent to, to ensure they are collated and kept for inspection AND published on the web? 33Nauru, Niue, Vanuatu, Tonga, Samoa: PMCF (2005) Informing Citizens, p.6. 34PNG, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Cook Islands, Vanuatu: PMCF (2005) Informing Citizens, p.6.
Commissioned by the Pacific Media and Communications Facility, an Australian Government, AusAID initiative managed by MDI International in association with MC Media & Associates