City Recognized By ICO For Transparency
The City of Hamilton has been recognized by the Information Commissioner’s Office [ICO] for its leadership in proactive transparency at an awards breakfast held last week at The Cloud.
A spokesperson said, “The City of Hamilton is proud to announce that it has been recognized by the Information Commissioner’s Office [ICO] for its leadership in proactive transparency at an awards breakfast held last week at The Cloud. The event marked the 10th anniversary of Bermuda’s Public Access to Information [PATI] legislation and the International Day for Universal Access to Information.
“The City was commended for setting a strong example of open governance, with the Information Commission highlighting the City’s longstanding practice of proactively publishing Board and Committee agendas, meeting minutes, audited financial statements and budgets, many of which date back more than 16 years. This proactive approach ensures that key information is placed into the public domain before it is even requested.”
Mayor Charles Gosling said transparency has been at the heart of the City’s mission since the beginning of his tenure: “Back in 2009, one of the first things I introduced after being elected Mayor was opening up our Council and Committee meetings to the public. We didn’t just want people to watch; we wanted them to participate. That’s why we also created opportunities for members of the public to make presentations to Council or the appropriate Committee.
“Transparency is one of our core values as an organization, and we are proud of the example we set. Today, we don’t just publish our minutes and agendas, we also share our annual reports, City ordinances, strategic plans, audited financials, Tenders and RFPs and all of our press releases. In fact, we began publishing an annual report last year precisely to strengthen accountability and make it easier for the public to access information about how the City is run.
“I want to thank the Information Commissioner’s Office for recognizing our efforts. This acknowledgement affirms the standard we have set and will continue to uphold – a standard of openness, accountability, and service to our community.”
The spokesperson said, “Representing the City at the ceremony were Mayor Charles Gosling, CEO and City Secretary Dwayne Caines, and the City’s PATI Officer and Recording Secretary, Jasmine DeBraga who was honoured for her service and dedication to advancing public access to information in Bermuda.”
