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Jan Liebaers (Acting Ombudsman)
Sandy Hermiston has resigned from the position of Ombudsman of the Cayman Islands, effective 31 January 2022. As of 1 February 2022, Mr Jan Liebaers is Acting Ombudsman until further notice.
Mr. Liebaers has held senior positions relating to Data Protection, Freedom of Inforamtion, archives and records management in Europe, Canada and the Cayman Islands for over 25 years.
He was a key member of the drafting committees of the National Archive and Public Records Law 2007, the Freedom of Information Law 2007, the Data Protection Law 2017, and the Data Protection Regulations 2018.
As Head of Archives and Records Management and Deputy Director in the Cayman Islands National Archive (1997-2007), he created the Records Policy Unit and spearheaded the development and implementation of new public records legislation.
As Deputy Information Commissioner (2010-2013) and Acting Commissioner (2014-2017) in the Information Commissioner’s Office (Cayman Islands), he conducted investigations and issued formal hearing decisions in appeals under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Law.
Upon the creation of the Office of the Ombudsman, Mr. Liebaers was appointed Deputy Ombudsman in charge of the Information Rights Division, which has outreach and enforcement responsibilities under the FOI Law and the Data Protection Law.
Mr. Liebaers holds Master of Arts degrees from Vrije Universiteit Brussel and York University, and a Master of Laws degree specializing in Information Rights from Northumbria University, and is a member of several professional organizations, including the Academy of Certified Archivists, the Association of Records Managers and Administrators, and the International Association of Privacy Professionals.
Source: Office of the Ombudsman, Cayman Islands
