Media practitioners learn more on Access to Information Act |04 July 2022

A partial view of participants at the workshop

Transparency Initiative Seychelles (TIS) in collaboration with the Seychelles Information Commission organised a media workshop to raise awareness of the Access to Information Act.

The workshop, held at the Eden Bleu Hotel, was attended by 27 persons from the media, TIS and the Information Commission.

The purpose of the workshop was to engage the media in a conversation on their experiences with the Access to Information Act. Journalists, information and public relation officers were able to discuss each other’s functions and learn more on the function of the information officer in an organisation.

Many of us learnt new things regarding this act and how it does help to protect the source of information.

Many suggestions were made to adapt the law to the reality of Seychelles. There was and is a confusion between the role of PR and information officers. Some organisations are not forthcoming with information, the process to access information takes too long and further training is required.

This workshop was the final activity in the awareness raising campaign on the Access to Information Act funded by a National Grant. Three sensitization videos have been produced and presentations have been made in five professional institutions at the School of Advanced Level Studies, National Institute of Health and Social Studies, Seychelles Tourism Academy, Seychelles Institute of Technology and Seychelles Institute of Art and Design.

Vidya Gappy

Photos contributed by TIS