Accountability and transparency [EN]

On the records from the Portuguese Ministry of Justice found in the trash

Recordkeeping isn’t just about keeping records safe, it is also about keeping evidence, responsible use and transparency. It is about democracy and having means to ensure that individuals and entities may become responsible for their actions.
When we learn that record policies are not fully effective, that the safety of records is not ensured we start doubting the institutions on which we should rely. For institutions to keep their credibility, either internally, but also to the exterior, (and in the case of governmental institutions, to citizens) it is essential to have clear policies on the way we treat documents, on the way we appraise them, we set access and dispose them, either by destroying them, either by keeping them as valuable testimonies. After all, we can’t neglect the role of records and their importance on bringing our memory alive, on proving our deeds.