ICO Report & Financial Statements Published
The Information Commissioner’s 2024 Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements for years ended March 2023 and March 2024 are now available to the public after being laid in the House of Assembly yesterday [March 28].
A spokesperson said, “The Annual Report summarises the use of the Public Access to Information Act during the 2024 calendar year. Reported information includes the number of PATI requests made during 2024, the outcome of public authorities’ responses to those requests, as well as the number of applications made for an Information Commissioner’s independent review and the outcome of those reviews. The Annual Report also describes the activities of the Information Commissioner’s Office across this financial year. It concludes with a message of reflection for the people of Bermuda by outgoing Information Commissioner, Ms. Gutierrez, whose 10-year appointment ended last month.”
The Deputy Information Commissioner, Ms. LaKai Dill, who approved and transmitted the Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements under delegated authority, stated: “I am pleased to submit our 2024 Annual Report on the outgoing Commissioner’s behalf. This Report affirms the important work that we have dedicated ourselves to each day. It is a bittersweet, yet exciting, time for the ICO’s team. We concluded our service under outgoing Commissioner Gutierrez and now welcome the leadership of new Information Commissioner, Mr. Jason Outerbridge, who is setting his vision for the ICO’s continued growth. Our team remains steadfast in delivering on the Information Commissioner’s mandate throughout this time of transition, as we also prepare for the implementation of amendments made to the PATI Act.”
The spokesperson said, ““Highlights of the Information Commissioner’s 2024 Annual Report include that:
- 177 new PATI requests were made by Bermudians and residents to 43 different public authorities.
- 39% of public authorities granted access to public records in their initial responses to PATI requests.
- 50 new applications for an Information Commissioner’s independent review were made, with 61 closures and a 200% increase in reviews closed by informal resolution.
- 39 formal Information Commissioner’s decisions were issued, where 54% ordered a public authority to take certain action [for instance, to disclose records, conduct a reasonable search, or issue a fresh decision on the public’s access to newly located records].
- 87 attendees from 36 different public authorities joined an Information Commissioner’s Quarterly Briefing, benefitting from practice-oriented guidance on handling PATI requests.
- 40,000+ views of the ICO’s website and 89,000+ reaches for the ICO’s social media campaigns were logged.
- 87% of respondents in the ICO’s annual national public awareness survey affirmed that the PATI Act was important to them, and 76% believed that it was important for the Government to engage in public consultation when considering changes to the PATI Act.
“The ICO’s Audited Financial Statements for the years ended 31 March 2023 and 31 March 2024, as laid in the Legislature today, demonstrate sound fiscal management by the ICO in its expenditure of funds appropriated by the Legislature. As an independent, publicly funded office, the PATI Act requires that the ICO’s accounts are subject to an annual independent audit by the Auditor General.”
Deputy Information Commissioner Dill stated: “I am pleased for the ICO to announce receiving our ninth consecutive ‘unqualified audit’ by the Auditor General—and for now being current in meeting this statutory requirement.”
The Information Commissioner, Mr. Outerbridge, affirms the steadfast commitment by the ICO’s team in fulfilling the ICO’s statutory obligations during challenging times, stating: “I am encouraged by the dedication to sound stewardship and continuity of quality public services demonstrated by the ICO’s team in the three weeks since my appointment. For those reasons, I was more than confident in delegating the functions of reporting on past years to the Deputy Information Commissioner, Ms. Dill.”
The spokesperson said, “The Information Commissioner’s 2024 Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements are available on ico.bm. The ICO’s website provides stakeholders with regularly updated information about the ICO’s spending of public funds, office operations and decision-making, as well as guidance on complying with the PATI Act and all the Information Commissioner’s published decisions.
“Any person wishing to request a print copy of the Information Commissioner’s 2024 Annual Report or Audited Financial Statements is welcome to contact the ICO at 441-543-3700, info@ico.bm, or 1 Church Street in the Maxwell Roberts Building.”
The 2024 Annual Report follows below [PDF here]:
The Audited Financial Statements for years ended March 2023 & March 2024 follows below [PDF here]:
