After Pati Comes Pipa. Are We Ready?

 A Bill entitled Personal Information Protection Act 2016 ("PIPA") was recently passed by the House of Assembly and the Senate and awaits Royal Assent for formal enactment. The PIPA specifically seeks to regulate the use of personal information by organisations in a manner which recognises both the need to protect the rights of individuals in relation to their personal information and the need for organisations to use personal information for legitimate purposes. The PIPA defines an organisation as 'any individual, entity or public authority that uses public information'.

The Government of Bermuda has expressed that PIPA will not be implemented for two years in order to allow for a fundamental cultural and legal shift with respect to the treatment of personal information in Bermuda. This decision to delay the implementation of PIPA for two years is unsurprising particularly in light of the newfound obligations that PIPA shall ultimately impose upon every organisation