Gov't working to re-establish ATI tribunal

Information Minister Dr Dana Morris Dixon says the Government is in the process of appointing a new Access to Information (ATI) tribunal.

Last week The Gleaner reported that the tribunal created under the ATI Act to handle appeals when Jamaicans are denied information by government agencies or public bodies has been inactive since February. 

And as a result, there are nearly 20 appeals now in limbo without a panel to hear them.

But speaking at a post-Cabinet press briefing on Wednesday, Morris Dixon shared that the Government has decided on a list of possible people to sit on the tribunal and is awaiting input from the leader of the opposition to advance the process. 

“As with many of our tribunals you have to have the support of both the prime minister and the leader of the opposition. And so where we are now, the list that has been proposed has been sent to the leader of the opposition for his comments, and so once we hear back from him, then we can move it forward,” she said. 

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Morris Dixon further underscored the importance of the tribunal, which among other things, was established to reinforce and manage the public's general right of access to official documents held by public authorities, subject to exemptions. 

“There are some caveats…some sensitive security information or other information that cannot be shared or sometimes a government entity may respond in that way, but it doesn't end there so if an entity says no because of this provision you cannot get this information, the law says that there can be a tribunal that you can appeal to,” she said. 

-Sashana Small