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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
 Unlike in days past, technology has become the foundation upon which our global society is built; and in this new age, knowledge and information have become the currency used to advance not only individuals, but entire nations. The correlation between information and power cannot be overstated. The world is filled with countless examples of the strides that have been made where information is made freely available to those seeking it.
Conversely, the world is also filled with examples of how failing to empower people through the access to information can have a negative impact. Sadly, the Bahamas continues to be counted among a small group of nations who continue to disadvantage its people by restricting access to information.
Instead, the rich and politically elite among us have continued to keep the citizenry in the dark about the key issues affecting them and in doing so, have held on to the reins of power through the denial of timely and unfettered access to all governmental information, inclusive of Cabinet information. The Bahamian people have a distinct right to all information and under the DNA, we will enshrine the right to information as a distinct right.
Despite promising increased transparency and accountability in the running of the country, the past four years in PLP governance has seen the exact opposite happen. The government’s decision to keep information about health hazards in the Marathon constituency a secret, exposed countless Bahamian families to harmful chemicals in their water supply. Even now in the months following the release of the report, the results of a probe into why the information was kept secret by the government in the first place, has yet to be made public. Similarly, more than a year after fire gutted the male dorms at BAMSI, Bahamians are no closer to finding out who will foot the bill for the reconstruction of those facilities, nor has anyone been held accountable for the obvious malfeasance which allowed construction to proceed without the necessary insurance.
Perhaps the most recent and most glaring example of the government’s failure at transparency has been its handling of the botched Bahamar deal. At the heart of the issues swirling around the still abandoned property are countless unanswered questions which the government has yet to answer. The most recent being what additional concessions have been offered as an inducement to mobilize construction at the cable beach resort?
Such clear government negligence only further underscores the need for enactment of a viable Freedom of Information Act. Sadly both this administration and the one before it have allowed this key piece of legislation to languish within the halls of Parliament. Despite passing the law in 2012, the then Free National Movement administration failed to ensure that this key legislation had the necessary teeth to be enacted. In the four years that this government has been in office, they too have dragged their feet and even after making what officials say was more than 100 amendments to the laws, it still lacks the kind of teeth, which guarantees unimpeded access to the people’s information, and also holds all governments accountable.
The Democratic National Alliance is particularly concerned about how the legislation in its current form defines the public authority, more specifically, who is required to release requested information to the public.
In its current form, such information is narrowly defined as a government ministry or statutory body which does little to ensure that the information released is accurate and free from any sort of political manipulation. In that same vein, the individual responsible for upholding the tenants of the legislation currently referred to as the information commissioner should also be free of political affiliation and should be independently appointed by committee featuring both government and opposition rather than being a political appointee as the current draft of the bill suggests.
The Democratic National Alliance renews its call for the Christie administration to do more than pay lip service to the idea of transparency in governance and take the steps needed to transform our country into a participatory democracy, with an educated and empowered citizenry who can make real contributions to the forward movement of our country.
Christopher Mortimer
DNA Deputy Leader
© Copyright 2016 by thebahamasweekly.com
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