Gov’t and FOIA Applicant Settle on New Timeline for CDF Disclosures

The Government and FOIA applicant Jeremy Enriquez have arrived at a mutually workable timeline for the release of Constituency Development Fund (CDF) records, following the Cabinet Secretary’s written confirmation that the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) will grant access and adopt the extended deadline proposed by the requester.

The agreement marks a shift from last week’s procedural standoff, which centred on whether administrative constraints could delay the statutory requirement to issue an access decision under the Freedom of Information Act.

According to the Cabinet Secretary’s November 21st letter, the OPM acknowledged Enriquez’s November 14th response and noted that the statutory deadline fell on Garifuna Settlement Day, a public and bank holiday. The letter confirms that Government opted not to refuse the request under Section 12(3)—a provision that allows refusal when compliance would unreasonably interfere with Ministry operations. Instead, the OPM sought additional time in order to process the broad, multi-year sweep of documents.

The Ministry indicated that compiling CDF allocations, expenditures, internal correspondence, and related assessments will require assistance from several public officers across multiple Ministries, as well as cross-referencing with external departments. The Cabinet Secretary stated that this workload would significantly disrupt normal operations over the coming weeks, particularly with the holiday period approaching.

Enriquez had previously acknowledged these practical constraints but underscored that the FOIA separates the obligation to make an access decision from the time required to gather records. His letter emphasized that Parliament intentionally placed the fourteen-day limit in Section 16 to ensure that Government entities provide timely confirmation—whether granting, refusing, or partially granting requests—even when retrieval of the underlying documents requires additional time.

In the November 21st correspondence, the OPM formally accepted Enriquez’s proposal to extend the disclosure deadline beyond the Ministry’s earlier request. Although the OPM had initially sought a December 15th timeline, it agreed to the applicant’s suggested date of January 15th, 2026 to complete compilation and release of all non-exempt documents.

The Ministry reiterated its commitment to granting access, except for any records that are exempt under the FOIA or other applicable laws. It also acknowledged that the extended timetable better reflects the practical realities of preparing and verifying documentation drawn from various Ministries.

The revised deadline now positions both parties on clearer footing. The Government retains the operational space required to assemble the records, while the requester secures confirmation that his application has been approved—an outcome that avoids the deemed refusal scenario contemplated under the FOIA.

With both sides having settled on the January 15th date, the matter now shifts from procedural timing to compliance. The final release of the CDF records will determine the broader impact of this FOIA request on public accountability practices moving forward.