WHEN members of the Policy Council were attempting to justify their volte face last month over trying to block moves towards freedom of information, one minister suggested it was not necessary because islanders could already ask the States for information.

There was also a wealth of material in Billets d’Etat and, in any event, he believed that the public felt very little was being kept from them.

Well, that’s one view – if only it reflected reality.

What thousands of FoI requests in the UK and elsewhere have established is that it is the information that doesn’t make it into official documents that is the most revealing. In other words, it is what is left out – and why – that tells the real story behind policy making.

Taking informed, transparent decisions is an essential ingredient of good governance, a concept that currently demonstrably passes the States by.

What freedom of information tries to do is two things: to remind officials and politicians that whatever decision or action they take is on behalf of the public and therefore they are accountable; and to foster a culture in which material is freely available unless there are compelling reasons for it being withheld.

Guernsey actually sets benchmarks in how not to do it, although some departments are worse than others.

Nevertheless, while Alderney, Sark and Jersey routinely publish committee and department agendas and minutes, this island resolutely refuses to do so.

There is no credible reason for that – other than control.

The States of Guernsey view is that nothing should be in the public domain unless it is the sanitised, official view. Publishing departmental agendas and, worse, outcomes would mean that islanders might get a glimpse of the thinking at Environment when at least three of its members decided that the Assembly was wrong in pursuing paid parking and so voted to thwart that.

Rather like last month’s Policy Council decision not to support FoI, there is a great deal of comfort in taking decisions behind closed doors and thus avoiding accountability.

Which is why transparency is so fiercely resisted.