Government Enables Transparency Through Sharing Of Critical Data – Education Minister

Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Fayval Williams, says the Administration is enabling transparency through the sharing of critical data, under the Access to Information Act.

The Minister said Jamaica has ratified or signed 17 multilateral environmental agreements, such as the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters, in Latin America and the Caribbean (the ‘Escazu Agreement’).

She was delivering remarks at the virtual commemoration of the Right to Know Week forum, held on Wednesday  (September 29), under the theme ‘The Right to Know –  Building Back Better with Access to Information’.

Mrs. Williams pointed out that promotion of the information access services provided by the Government is a key function of public authorities as they comply with the Act.

“It is important that there is transparency, accountability and public participation in the development of policy responses, and the monitoring of the regulatory actions taken by ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), to meet the environmental challenges of our time. We must also be prepared to accept the public scrutiny that comes with the commitments we have made under various multilateral environmental agreements. Good governance requires it,” she said.

“This has been given heightened focus during Right to Know Week activities.  The Government of Jamaica remains resolute to the promotion of information access services to the public as this supports our goal of being an open and transparent Government,” the Minister added.

She argued that the  achievement of sustainable development requires “us to create people-centred solutions”.

Solving issues, Mrs. Williams said, must be designed with the input of all stakeholders to create pathways for building a greener and better future for the country, and the world, which is even more critical, since as a small island developing state (SIDS), Jamaica has multidimensional vulnerabilities, structural gaps and financing needs that “we must find sustainable solution to as a nation and as a community of nations”.

“The Government is committed to access to information and calls on all stakeholders to remain committed to contributing to renewed transparency and accountability around the actions necessary to shape a better future for us all, including the development of green and digital technologies,” the Minister said.

She highlighted that since the passage of the Access to Information Act, members of the public have utilised their “rights under the Act” to request and have received official government information on water and air-quality data, water-sampling data, air and water-quality monitoring, mercury-emission data, pollution incident reports, environmental permits and licences and audited accounts and budgets of agencies such as the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) and the Beach Control Authority.

This marks the 19th year of Right to Know Day, now International Day for the Universal Access to Information, and Right to Know Week.

The Ministry, through the Access to Information Unit in the Information Division, partnered with the United Nations in Jamaica, to commemorate Right to Know Week with Access to Information practitioners in MDAs, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), civil society and other stakeholders.