"Americans have the right to know how their tax dollars are spent, but that information has been hidden from public view for too long." — US Democratic candidate Senator Barack Obama's campaign website

"To me, openness and accountability are not platitudes — they are essential elements of our democracy." — Democratic candidate Senator Hillary Clinton in a Sunshine Week survey in 2008

"This is a plan to enhance accountability and transparency and make government more efficient and effective for taxpayers. To replace secrecy and mystery with transparency." — Sen. Clinton unveiling her proposals on open government in a plan for reform, April 2007

"A democratic government operates best in the disinfecting light of the public eye. Ethics and transparency are not election year buzz words; they are the obligations of democracy and the duties of honourable public service." — Republican candidate John McCain

"I have seen a number of comments that this is possibly a good time to consider reviewing rules and legislations to bring them in line with other legislation in the Commonwealth, and I agree." — Bermuda Senate President Alf Oughton

"I am delighted that the Premier and the Government have expressed support for the concept ... It is a good idea and the Government will follow through in their own time." — Progressive Labour Party stalwart Eva Hodgson

"In general to have access to information is a good thing. You need to have a very careful set-up to ensure that private information is not put into the public domain." — Progressive Labour Party Senator Walton Brown

"When information which properly belongs to the public is systematically withheld by those in power, the people soon become ignorant of their own affairs, distrustful of those who manage them, and — eventually — incapable of determining their own destinies." — President Richard Nixon, 1972

"If you are a government employee, senior, middle or junior, you know that what you are doing is eventually going to be accessible everything about it. That's a good thing. The whole deal goes back to the idea government needs to be a servant of the people." — US Consul General Gregory Slayton

"We have seen periods of time where information has just been shut down and that's just not good. But if you give people the information they can't speculate as to what you might be hiding." — Bermuda Opposition Leader Kim Swan

"A nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is afraid of its people." — US president John F. Kennedy, 1962

"We must never forget that the free flow of information is essential to a democratic society." — US president Bill Clinton, 2000

"Government ought to be all outside and no inside." — President Woodrow Wilson

"Information is the currency of democracy." — Thomas Jefferson

"I believe that anyone in a position of trust, be it Government or elsewhere, needs to exhibit at all times an attitude that they are accountable for all the actions which they take." — Anglican Bishop of Bermuda Ewen Ratteray

"FOI is important to make Government more accountable and responsive to its public. Good luck in your campaign." — Cayman Freedom Of Information coordinator Carole Excell

"We in Britain have worked this through quite slowly and quite carefully and after many years of debate came out with quite a strong freedom of information legislation. Having done that after a lot of thought and not a few bumps on the road, for the places we have responsibility for, including the Overseas Territories, we are keen to encourage people down that road." — Bermuda Governor Sir Richard Gozney

"A day without sunshine is like, you know, night." — Steve Martin

"A government by secrecy benefits no one. It injures the people it seeks to serve; it damages its own integrity and operation. It breeds distrust, dampens the fervour of its citizens and mocks their loyalty." — 110 Congressional Record 17, 087 (1964) (Statement of Senator Long)

"A popular Government without popular information or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue matter can't be disclosed because it's a personnel matter, it's in litigation, it's under investigation, or because it's confidential, often what they're really saying is that they do." — James Madison

"When you hear or read statements from a government officials indicating that the matter can't be disclosed because it's a personnel matter, it's in litigation, it's under investigation, or because it's confidential, often what they're really saying is that they don't want to disclose, even though they can or, in some circumstances, they must." — Robert J. Freeman, executive director of the New York State Committee on Open Government in Albany