15 March 2022.
The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) is collaborating with the Puerto Rican network Red de Transparencia and its member organisation Espacios Abiertos (EA) to host a series of events as part of Sunshine Week in Puerto Rico. These include meetings with a wide range of different stakeholders – from all three branches of government, civil society, media, academia and the business sector – to stress the importance of access to information and to advocate in favour of reform of the Puerto Rican legislative framework on the right to information.
“CLD prepared a detailed analysis of the legal framework for the right to information in Puerto Rico in 2020, including an assessment based on CLD’s RTI Rating, which showed that the framework was weak, earning only 73 points out of a possible total of 150,” said Toby Mendel, CLD’s Executive Director. “We are pleased to see that Puerto Rico’s executive and legislative branches are open to review both the Transparency Law and Open Data Law adopted in 2019 and we encourage them to take full advantage of this opportunity to bring the rules into line with international standards.”
As part of these events, Red de Transparencia and United Nations Association-USA-Puerto Rico Chapter is hosting a webinar today at 3pm Puerto Rican time/EST on Transparency and Access to Information for the Development of Solid Institutions: How can They Help us Achieve Sustainable Development Goals? This will look at how to assess progress in Puerto Rico on SDG Indicator 16.10.2, on adoption and implementation of access to information legislation, as well as the importance of progress on this indicator for achieving the other SDGs.
At 6pm Mendel will also deliver a master class at the University of Puerto Rico Graduate School of Public Administration titled An Open Government is Possible: Puerto Rico in the Global Context.
Through their work in the areas of research, strategic litigation and community outreach, power literacy and organising, Espacios Abiertos and the members of the Red de Transparencia pave the way towards a more open, transparent, accountable, democratic society in Puerto Rico, with increased justice and equity for its citizens. “We are delighted to have the opportunity to welcome Dr. Mendel to Puerto Rico and to host an open conversation with local stakeholders on this very important subject. We firmly believe that transparency in government is of utmost importance for an informed and engaged society and as the antidote to the corruption that has weakened the people’s trust in its public institutions,” said Cecille Blondet-Passalacqua, Esq., EA’s Executive Director.
The flyer for this event is available here and you can register at this hyperlink.
A Spanish version of this press release is available here.
For further information, please contact:
Toby Mendel
Executive Director
Centre for Law and Democracy
Email: toby@law-democracy.org
+1 902 431 3688
www.law-democracy.org
twitter: @law_democracy
Maricelis Rivera
Communications Advisor
Espacios Abiertos
maricelisrivera@accessallservices.com
+17876152876
www.espaciosabiertos.org
twitter: @EApuertoricos
