Exemptions

All public authorities are subject to the Act except those listed as Exempt Authorities.
Under Section 5 (1) (c) the Act does not apply to such Public Authorities or function of a Public Authority as the President may, by Order subject to negative resolution of Parliament determine.

Thus far ten (10) Public Authorities have received such exemptions orders:

  • First Citizens Bank Group
    • First Citizens Holdings Limited
    • First Citizens Bank Limited
    • First Citizens Corporate Services Limited
    • First Citizens Bank Mortgage and Trust Company Limited
  • The Trinidad and Tobago Unit Trust Corporation
  • The Export-Import Bank
  • The Agricultural Development Bank
  • The Trinidad and Tobago Mortgage Finance Company Limited
  • Taurus Services Limited
  • The Business Development Company Limited
  • The National Entrepreneurship Development Company Limited
  • National Enterprises Limited
    • The Freedom of Information (Exemption) Order, 2003

  • The Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago
    • The Freedom of Information (Exemption) (No. 2) Order, 2003

  • The Integrity Commission of Trinidad and Tobago
    • The Freedom of Information (Exemption) (No. 2) Order, 2005
  • The Justice Protection Programme
    •  The Freedom of Information (Exemption) Order, 2015 

EXEMPTIONS

Under the FOIA, there are certain categories of documents that are exempt from the general rule of access and include the following:

  • Cabinet documents
  • Defence and security documents
  • International relations documents
  • Internal working documents
  • Law enforcement
  • Documents affecting legal proceeding
  • Trade secret documents
  • Material obtained in confidence
  • Where secrecy provisions provide
  • Documents affecting personal privacy
  • Documents affecting the economy and commercial affairs

 

For further details on the above exemptions, please see Section IV of the Freedom of Information Act, 1999.

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