BOTSWANA CATEGORY 2: REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION The following questions were sent to the Ministry of Local Government: 1. How many marriages have been registered in the past three years? 2. How many divorce cases have been registered in the past three years? 3. What is the current limit for lobola? 4. Do our current laws have any provision for a lobola refund? The request letter was never delivered to the Public Relations office, as receipt was rejected at the records desk. The officer who attended the researcher rejected the letter, stating that the information requested was confidential. The researcher was advised to resubmit a more detailed request stating the intended use for the information, their full identity and more information about them or the organisation requesting the information. n = 20 1. Is there an official designated to take and respond to information requests? (Please state title of officials in ‘Additional Information’) Yes No Additional Information s 2. Did the institution reply within 21 days? (If less than 7 please state in ‘Additional Information’) s 3. Did the Institution respond to a request for information? s 4. Does the authority publish their procedures for dealing with information requests? s 5. Did the institution provide all of the information requested? (If partially please mark ‘No’, indicate in ‘Additional Information’ how much of the information requested was supplied) s 6. Did the institution provide written reasons for the refusal of information? (If information was not refused, please contact institution to find out what the policy is in this regard – if they supply written reasons for refusal mark ‘Yes’) s 7. Did the institution disclose information about its operations, budgets, structure etc. s 8. Did the authority provide information without questioning the aims and motivations of the applicant? s 9. Did the institution acknowledge your request for information within 7 days? s 10. Was the information received clear and understandable? s Total Score: 2/20 21