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II. Universal Principles
 
  Article 16- Accountability  
16.1 Accountable Government  
  It is both a right and an expectation of the Members of the Union that their elected representatives and officials govern for the interests and benefits of the community first and all other interests second.  
16.2 Freedom of information  
  It shall be a principle of this Charter that the free and fair access of all information anywhere in the Union should be a right for people who by their relationship or authority to the information should have access to this information.
 
  This shall extend to the right of individuals to see the use and access to personal information as well as professionals and government authorities having the right to access information in order to perform their duties.
 
16.3 Freedom of information and national security  
  While the right to disclosure should always be the first right, it is a principle of this Charter that Union security must prevail in sometimes restricting the rights to access information.
 
  One of the most important tools of government in the addressing criminal and security investigations shall always be secrecy. The level of secrecy afforded criminal and security investigations versus the freedom of information to other parties shall always be a power vested in the Executive Government.
 
     
     
     
 
 

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