The Freedom of Information Act (ACT XVI of 2008) aims to establish a right to information held by public authorities in order to promote added transparency and accountability in government.
2. Functions and Responsibilities:
The Lands Authority is responsible for the management of Government’s immovable estate. The mission of the Lands Authority is to promote and maintain the highest and best use of Government’s immovable estate and to ensure an equitable process for the acquisition of property that may be required for public purpose.
3. General Description of the Categories of Documents available at the Lands Authority published by virtue of Article 17 of the Freedom of Information Act (Cap 496)
- Paper/Electronic correspondence relating to government property.
- Administrative and Official files
- Legislation concerning the Lands Authority.
- Parliamentary Questions and pertinent replies concerning the Lands Authority.
- Parliamentary Resolutions
- Eviction Order Notices
- Legal Notices
- Property drawings of government owned tenements.
- Lease Agreements and Contracts drawn up on government tenements
- Compensation Contracts drawn on Expropriated Property
- Personal files of employees and attendance sheets
- Annual Reports
- Minutes of Meetings – Tender Committee
- Control Committee
N.B. Some of the information listed above is exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (Cap. 496)
4. Description of Manuals, docs which contain policies, principles, rules or guidelines.
A list of the Authority’s policies can be found on Guidelines & Policies – Lands Authority.
5. Statement of the information that needs to be available to members of the public who wish to obtain access to official documents from the public authority, which statement shall include particulars of the officer or officers to whom requests for such access should be sent.
The FOI officers of the Lands Authority may be contacted by e-mail [email protected] or by telephone 22953174 / 22953397.
FOI Requests may be submitted by e-mail to [email protected], through the FOI Portal https://foi.gov.mt/ via the e-ID or through the online form.
6. Internal Complaints Procedures
Applicants may submit a complaint to the Public Authority within a maximum of 30 days from the date of the last relevant communication by the Public Authority. A decision will be provided within 10 working days from the receipt of the complaint.
Subsequent and different complaints on the same request can only be submitted to the Public Authority after the first complaint has been answered or following the lapse of 10 working days from the date of submission of the complaint.
If applicants remain dissatisfied with the outcome of their complaint, they may appeal the decision through the Information and Data Protection Commissioner (IDPC) within 60 days from the date of the notification by the Public Authority.
Should applicants remain dissatisfied with the outcome of this procedure, they may appeal the decision through the Information and Data Protection Appeals Tribunal within 20 working days from the last relevant communication by the IDPC. An appeal from this decision may be registered at the Courts of Appeal within 30 days from the last relevant communication of the Information and Data Protection Appeals Tribunal.
7. Other Information
For more information access the website: https://foi.gov.mt
8. Public Authority Contact Details