Five public authorities have been recognised for their commitment to openness and access to information at the Information Commissioner's Awards 2026, capping off this year's Bermuda Right to Know Day observances.

Information Commissioner Jason Outerbridge formally announced the recipients, praising the bodies for their work in advancing transparency, improving public access to government-held information and demonstrating strong digital stewardship. The awards form part of the Information Commissioner's Office's broader effort to encourage a culture of accountability across the public service, in line with the Public Access to Information framework that has been in force in Bermuda for a decade.

Right to Know Day, observed internationally each year, highlights the importance of citizens' ability to obtain information from public bodies and underscores the role transparency plays in healthy democratic governance. In Bermuda, the occasion has become an annual opportunity for the ICO to showcase progress made by government departments, quangos and other authorities in meeting their obligations under the law.

The Information Commissioner's Office said the honoured authorities stood out for their proactive disclosure practices and their handling of information requests. Officials noted that while challenges remain across the public sector, the awards demonstrate that meaningful strides are being made toward making government information more readily available to Bermudians. The ICO encouraged all public authorities to follow the example set by this year's recipients as work continues to strengthen openness across the island's public institutions.