Belize Freedom of Information Act
BELIZE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
CHAPTER 13 REVISED EDITION 2000
SHOWING THE LAW AS AT 31ST DECEMBER, 2000
This is a revised edition of the law, prepared by the Law Revision Commissioner under the authority of the Law Revision Act, Chapter 3 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 1980 - 1990.
This edition contains a consolidation of the following laws- Page
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 3
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 7
Amendments in force as at 31st December, 2000.
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CHAPTER 13
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
PART I
Preliminary
1. Short title.
2. Commencement.
3. Interpretation.
4. Act not to apply to courts and registries.
5. Office of the Governor-General not to be deemed to be a Department.
PART II
Publication of Certain Documents and Information
6. Publication of information concerning documents.
7. Certain documents to be available for inspection and purchase.
8. Unpublished documents not to prejudice public.
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PART III
Access to Documents
9. Right of access.
10. Procedure for obtaining access to certain documents.
11. Access to documents apart from this Act.
12. Requests for access.
13. Transfer of requests.
14. Requests involving use of computers, etc.
15. Access to documents to be given on request.
16. Time within which formal requests to be decided.
17. Forms of access.
18. Deferment of access.
19. Deletion of exempt matter.
20. Decision to be made by authorized persons.
21. Reasons and other particulars of decisions to be given.
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PART IV
Exempt Documents
22. Documents affecting national security, defence and international relations.
23. Cabinet documents.
24. Documents affecting enforcement and administration of the law.
25. Documents to which secrecy provisions of enactments apply.
26. Certain documents concerning operations of Ministries, etc.
27. Documents affecting personal privacy.
28. Documents affecting legal proceedings or subject to legal professional
privilege.
29. Documents relating to trade secrets, etc.
30. Documents affecting national economy.
31. Documents containing material obtained in confidence.
32. Documents the disclosure of which would be contempt of National
Assembly or contempt of court.
33. Crown privilege in judicial proceedings not affected.
34. Duty of authorities to act in good faith.
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PART V
Review of Decisions
35. Applications to Ombudsman.
36. Internal review.
37. Time for application to Ombudsman.
38. Burden of proof.
39. Power of Ombudsman to make orders.
40. Production of exempt documents.
41. Evidence of certificates.
42. Power of Ombudsman in relation to witnesses, etc.
43. Appeals against Ombudsman’s decisions.
PART VI
Miscellaneous
44. Protection against actions for defamation or breach of confidence.
45. Protection in respect of offences.
46. Reports to National Assembly.
47. Regulations.
