The team drafting Government?s new freedom of information legislation is exploring the best way to make public documents more easily and widely available.

The team is considering creating a website to disseminate information ? some of which the public may not even know exists.

Premier Alex Scott promised a ?turn around? in Government?s approach to giving the public information earlier this month at a press conference.

A four-person team at the Central Policy Unit (CPU) is now developing the new policy towards a 2005 implementation date.

Team coordinator Kimberley McKeown told information will soon be dramatically more open.

?There is no act or policy in place yet, but we are working on it,? she said.

?But, the intention is to have a dramatic impact on openness and transparency in Bermuda.?

Other members of the project team are Heather Whalen, Alberta Dyer-Tucker, and Kennette Robinson.

?We have looked at other jurisdictions and compared what is done there,? Ms McKeown said of the team?s approach.

Most other jurisdictions have a framework for requesting information, she said, and legislation will include a list of exemptions and exclusions.

Not all information will be in the public domain.

For example, medical records will be protected.

But many other areas will be opened up.

?Right now in Bermuda, Cabinet?s records and minutes are (only) available to the public after 30 years,? she said. ?We are looking at this.?

In addition to studying the models other jurisdictions have used to improve access to information, the policy team is also soliciting feedback from the public on what kind of information they would like to have.

And they have been consulting with Government ministries about what information they would like released to the public and also about their security concerns.

The team has consulted with jurisdictions such as Ireland, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and England as well as the US archives.

They have also paid close attention to how these jurisdictions handle the appeal process if an individual is dissatisfied with the information they receive or the process.

?Some jurisdictions have an Ombudsman or Information Commissioner who keeps a check on Government,? said Ms McKeown.

?It is within Bermuda?s legislation to have an Ombudsman but we do not have one at the moment.?

If, for example, a person was denied information, they could appeal that decision to the Ombudsman who would then make a decision on whether or not the Government was just in its decision to withhold the information.

As Government changes its approach to freedom of information, it is adopting a ?more is more? philosophy, however.

?An important tenant is proactive disclosure, meaning putting information out in the public domain even if it is not asked for,? Ms McKeown said. ?The principle is to release as much information as possible.?

She said information may be released through a website but the policy must be broad enough to allow access to older records as well.

If someone is searching for a photograph or something on paper, for example, then it can not be put on the website.

?We are also cognisant that not everyone has access to computers and Internet,? she added.

?So, we are keeping this in mind.?