Grange wants speedier response to Access to Information requests (Jamaica)
| Grange wants speedier response to Access to Information requests |
Friday, May 09, 2008 |
INFORMATION Minister OIivia 'Babsy' Grange says her ministry will be taking steps to improve procedures relating to the Access to Information Act, to speed up the response time for requests.
According to Grange, with the use of "dialogue, consultation and action", the plan is to set up mechanisms that will allow for real-time monitoring of requests and how such requests are dealt with by public authorities.
Said the minister: "I have been fully engaged in the effort to bolster the access to information regime in Jamaica."
She added that a new Joint Select Committee had been appointed to review the Access to Information Act, as stipulated by law, which mandates that the Act be reviewed every three years. Members of the review committee are drawn from the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Grange was addressing the first quarterly meeting of the Access to Information Association of Administrators (ATIAA) for the 2008/2009 financial year, held recently at the Bank of Jamaica auditorium in downtown Kingston.
As part of the dialogue, consultation and action, Grange said that she had met with the Access to Information stakeholders at their request to listen to their concerns in order to see how such concerns could be addressed.
The information minister said she had discussed ways of improving compliance and monitoring in regard to all government entities with Damian Cox, the acting director of the Access to Information Unit.
"The unit will maintain an up-to-date and comprehensive list of all Government entities and ensure that all of these entities submit their reports on a timely basis," said Grange.
She said the unit was continuing its public education campaign, which has included an all-day International-Right-to-Know-Day.
A sensitisation campaign was also planned in partnership with the National Council of Education, targeting school board members across the educational regions.
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