Saint Kitts and Nevis

Introduction

Implemented in 2018, Saint Kitts and Nevis’ RTI legislation bears many of the same characteristics as a strong modern-day right to information law. Although not constitutionally guaranteed, the legal framework governing the right to information in Saint Kitts and Nevis creates a specific presumption in favour of access to all information held by public authorities. The law gives this presumption a broad scope, as it appears to apply to all three branches of government, as well as non-state entities performing government functions or receiving state funding. This is supplemented by a mostly compliant harm-tested exceptions regime with a public interest override, a clear appeals system, and a very strong promotional regime. An improvement could be made by introducing clearer rules on access fees and a provision permitting the re-use of information.