2 No. 2 Right to Access Information Act 2013 PART 1–PRELIMINARY Interpretation. 1. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires– “Commission” means the Information Commission established by section 30; “fees notice” means a notice in writing stating that a fee of an amount specified in the notice is to be charged by the public authority for complying with section 2. “historical record” means a record which was created twenty or more years before the coming into operation of this Act; “information” includes any material regardless of its physical form or characteristics, such as a book, plan, map, drawing, film, microfiche, diagram, pictorial or graphic work, data, photograph, recording, audio or video-tape, machine-readable material or any other information held in electronic form, and also includes any sample, work, model or copy thereof; “Minister” means the Minister responsible for information; No. 2 Right to Access Information Act 2013 3 “private body” means a natural person who carries on a trade, business or profession, but only in such capacity or a partnership or juristic person which carries on a trade, business or profession, but does not include a public authority; “public information officer” means a person appointed under section 28“public authority” includes any body– Act No. 6 of 1991. (a) established by or under the Constitution of Sierra Leone 1991; (b) established by statute; (c) which forms part of any level or branch of Government; (d) owned, controlled or substantially financed by funds provided by Government; (e) carrying out a statutory or public function; or (f) a body or organisation that receives monies on behalf of the people of Sierra Leone; “publish” means to make available in a form generally accessible to members of the public and includes print, broadcast and electronic forms of information dissemination; PART II–THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION “official” means any person employed by a public authority, whether permanently or temporarily and whether part-time or full-time, and includes consultants working directly as individuals for the authority; 2. (1) Every person has the right to access information held by or is under the control of a public authority. “personal information” means information about an identifiable individual which contains intimate details in respect of which that individual has a reasonable expectation of privacy; (3) Nothing in this Act limits or otherwise restricts the disclosure of or the right to access, information pursuant to any other enactment, policy or practice. (2) Every person has the right to access information held by or is under the control of a private body where that information is necessary for the enforcement or protection of any right. (4) Any person making a request for information to a public authority shall be entitled– Access to information.