The newly launched Rights to Information Project is aiming to educate and empower Pacific communities on the importance of information in shaping decision-making processes.

Held at the University of the South Pacific (USP), the project was initiated in 2021 is a call from the government to make information available to Samoans as well as the Pacific.

Minister of Education, Seuula Ioane Tua'au stressed that through e-governance, information accessibility and availability will enable Samoans, regardless of gender, to participate equally in the development of the communities and country.

"The Right to Information (RTI) is a basic human right indicating that all information should be made available to the members of the public, and the Samoan Government has been working in this area for some years now," he added.

"The Government ministries have been using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to provide government services, communication and information to our people and other interested stakeholders. 

"And this remains the government’s aim and objective - to serve all our people and ensure that they can get relevant information promptly and can make informed decisions which can help in the growth of individuals, their communities as well as the country. I must add that we are already planning to establish a central information portal which can be accessed by our people to access information and data.

Gareth Hoar, British High Commissioner to Samoa in his remarks stressed the importance of RTI in holding the government accountable, demonstrating transparency of governance, and tackling corruption. 

"It is these overarching principles, underpinned by a desire to support the set of shared values and similar democratic institutions our two countries share, that attracted my Government’s support for this project, by providing funding through the UN Development Programme," he added.

"I use the UK as an example of the benefits and consequences for all members of society of instituting formal RTI protocols. It is certainly not the intention of UK government to impose its own RTI solutions in Samoa. 

"I hope that through this project to promote advocacy and awareness about the value of open data, transparency and accountability of public information for civil society, the private sector and individuals we are helping you to take the first steps on the path towards exploring how Samoan society as a whole – both citizens and government - can equally benefit from RTI.

"May I use this opportunity to encourage you to actively participate in shaping the innovative mobile technology and e-learning solutions USP is showcasing to ensure that the models adopted to raise awareness of RTI are innovative in design, relevant and appropriate in the context of Samoa’s social and economic development."

The project comes as the fruits of collaboration between the University of the South Pacific (USP) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the support of the UK Government in funding the Pacific Anti-Corruption Project, as well as the School of Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Physics (STEMP) for partnering with UNDP to bring this project to fruition.