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Better late than never!
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Speaker Karu Jayasuriya gave his assent to the Right to Information Act No. 12 of 2016 this week following his return from Singapore and a long delay in translations since Parliament unanimously passed the Bill two months ago. The delay in his signing the bill into law raised concerns. A Freedom of Information Bill was first presented to Parliament in 2004, but was never passed due to the early dissolution of that Parliament. Mr. Jayasuriya then brought that bill as a Private Member’s Bill under his name as an Opposition MP, but the then Government refused to discuss it. The Law provides for all Sri Lankan citizens to have access to official Government information henceforth. Sri Lanka becomes the 108th country in the world to have a national RTI Law. Pic by U.G. Nuwan Duminda