The people who work to answer public access to information requests were recognised by the Information Commissioner’s Office at an awards breakfast.

An event, organised to mark International Day for Universal Access to Information, honoured five information officers for their outstanding service and commitment to excellence, along with two authorities.

Ronald Taylor, of the Bermuda Police Service, received the Information Commissioner’s Vanguard Award, while Denyelle Dublin-Swan, of the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service, Lakilah Spencer, of the Bermuda Hospitals Board, Sharmette Pond, of the Department of Customs, and Andrea Luber, of the Ministry of Health headquarters, were also acknowledged for making a “significant impact”.

The City of Hamilton and the unit of the Cabinet Office that deals with matters related to Pati and the Personal Information Protection Act also received recognition from Jason Outerbridge, the Information Commissioner, for their work.

Mr Outerbridge said: “Information officers are the front line of Pati.

“This has not always been an easy experience for some information officers, especially those who try to get it right as they manage their day-to-day responsibilities while also processing Pati requests.

“Information officers are unsung heroes of the public service because they have taken on this tremendous statutory role without any additional compensation.

“Their collective labour has helped shift the culture from one of secrecy to one where transparency and openness are expected from public authorities.

“My team and I thank everyone who joined us for the celebration of these officers and public authorities, and we thank all information officers for their continued dedication and commitment to Pati into the future.”

Cherie Whitter, the Head of the Public Service, co-presented the awards, offering congratulations to awardees on behalf of the Government of Bermuda and thanking them for their contributions.