Open Government Act, RPPL No. 9-32 2014 PALAU http://www.paclii.org/cgibin/sinodisp/pw/legis/num_act/ogarn9322014275/ogarn9322014275.html?stem=&synonyms=&query=confidential%20sou rces AN ACT To create a more open and transparent government so that the people of the Republic may hold their elected government representatives accountable, and for other related purposes. THE PEOPLE OF PALAU REPRESENTED IN THE OLBIIL ERA KELULAU DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as and may be cited as "The Open Government Act." Section 2. Presidential Statement of Introduction. Pursuant to Article VIII, Section 12: "The President may introduce measures in the Olbiil Era Kelulau." The President finds and declares that all government entities, whether quasi or whole, exist to serve the people in the conduct of the people's business. It is the intent of this Act: that the actions of the government be conducted openly, that all deliberations be transparent, and that all public government documents be open for public inspection. Indeed, this Act is intended to provide a legal framework for the rights that are already guaranteed to the people of the Republic in Article V, Section 12 of the Constitution of the Republic, which states that: "A citizen has the right to examine any government document and to observe the official deliberations of any agency of government." It is a fundamental aspect of a democracy that government governs the people only with the consent of the people. The people, therefore, in consenting to be governed do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The President hereby finds that the people of the Republic insist upon being informed of the workings of the government so that they may retain control over the instruments of government that they have created for governance with their consent. Accordingly, it is the intent of the President of the Republic that, as introduced, the provisions contained in this bill, which is modeled on the Commonwealth of Northern Marianas Islands Public Law No. 8-41 (effective Jan. 21, 1994), in providing for an open government and open access to the documents of the government the law shall be liberally interpreted, and that the provisions providing for exceptions to the open meeting requirements and open records requirements the law shall be strictly interpreted against closed meetings and the non-disclosure of records. Section 3. Legislative Findings. The legislature finds that having an open and transparent government is important to ensure the public is involved in the government to the fullest extent possible, consistent with the constitutional mandate for an open government. At the same time, the legislature recognizes the balance that must