Press association urges Gov’t to improve access to information law

President of the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) Dionne Jackson Miller is urging the Government to heed the many calls for the amendments to the Access to Information (ATI) Act to be brought to Parliament, something she says has been promised by successive administrations.

In a statement wednesday, the PAJ president said the Access to Information Act, 2002 was a landmark statute that advanced the aims of transparency and accountability in democratic government.

“It gives any Jamaican, not just members of the media, a right to ask for government documents in which they have an interest and, subject to some exceptions — documents said to be exempt, for example, those dealing with national security, law enforcement, Cabinet, etc — provides a regime which is supposed to ensure access to those documents,” she said. “Government air quality reports, public health reports on water parks, cellphone bills of Cabinet ministers, and travel itineraries of prime ministers can be, and have been requested and provided. But personal records held by Government can also be requested by the individuals involved.”

The Act has been a powerful tool empowering the public seeking to hold Government to account, she said.

“But the law is not perfect, of course. Legislation rarely is, especially laws that introduce a completely new regime, which the ATI Act did. This is why new laws often contain a provision for them to be reviewed within a certain period of time,” the PAJ president continued. Section 38 of the ATI Act states that the Act “shall be reviewed from time to time by committee of both Houses of Parliament” and went on to state that “the first such review shall be conducted not later than two years after the appointed day.” Jackson Miller said a review did take place, albeit late. (JAMAICA OBSERVER/ Photo: Live Jamaica Updates)