An entrenched culture of secrecy, where government officers think of new ways to delay giving out information, is one hurdle to an effective Freedom of Information Act.

This was an example that experts from Sri Lanka shared of their nation’s own experience with a similar law, the Right to Information Act, that is designed to disclose information kept by public entities.

As the Madani administration prepares to table its Freedom of Information Act (FOI Act) later this month, Sri Lankan experts...