Requests of information from public authorities

(1) The Director-General may– (a) on delivery of a notice, request any public authority to allow officers or employees of the Institute at all reasonable times to access, inspect and take copies of or extracts from any records in its charge; 32 (b) on delivery of a notice, request any public authority to provide the Institute, if any such officer or employee so requires, with copies of extracts from any such record, and the public authority shall, subject to sub-section (2), comply with any such request free of charge; or (c) request any public authority to consult and cooperate with him for the purpose of assessing the potential of the records of the public authority as a source of statistical information and where appropriate and practicable, developing its recording methods and systems for statistical purposes, and the public authority shall comply with any such request, in so far as its resources permit. (2) If any public authority intends to carry out activities with statistical implications, it shall first consult, for the purposes of coordination, with the and accept any recommendations the Institute may make. (3) The Director-General or any public authority may request the Board to conciliate on and, when agreement cannot be reached, to make recommendations to the Minister for his decision on proposals made by the Director-General under sub- section (1) or (2). (4) Sub-sections (1) and (2)– (a) shall not apply to records pertaining to a court or to prison administration; and (b) shall, in all other cases, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in any enactment other than provisions for the protection of public order, the security of Belize or the privacy of any person. 33