Outcomes - Selected Case Summaries
Categories
Search for beach access records was reasonable
Decisions | 28 April 2023
Ministry of District Administration and Lands (DAL)
An applicant made a request to the Ministry for records relating to beach access signage for Cayman Shores Development. The Ministry had searched for responsive records, and disclosed a number of records, but it could not locate additional records that were believed to exist.
After a review of the search efforts undertaken, the Ombudsman concluded that the Ministry met its obligations to “make reasonable efforts to locate” responsive records, and to “make a record of its efforts”. While the IM could have conducted further interviews with the applicant, in the circumstances of this case there was little to be gained by doing so as the request was communicated in great detail and was well-understood. The Ministry was not required to take any further steps.