Gov’t backtracks on blocking access to Cabinet documents for 70 years
Published:Friday | October 4, 2019 | 12:11 AMPaul Clarke/Gleaner Writer
Leader of Opposition Business in the Senate Donna Scott-Mottley says that the country is still mystified even though the Government has agreed to withdraw a resolution to extend the period of exemption for Cabinet documents from 20 to 70 years.
The proposal, made on Tuesday when the Government tabled a resolution in Parliament, was hit with immediate repudiation from several quarters of the society.
Yesterday, a statement from Cabinet explained the Government’s decision to withdraw the proposal and that it will now be sent to a joint select committee for scrutiny, reasoning that it took into consideration the concerns and objections of the public.
Scott-Mottley, who is also the opposition spokesperson on justice, said that it remains a puzzle as to what motivated the Government to increase the period of exemption.
“Adding the additional 50 years is not only stunning, it’s ridiculous. Remember, we have not even been an independent nation for much more than 50 years. There is just no basis for them to have chosen 70 years. Even the UK is moving from 30 to 20 years,” she said.
Opposition Leader Dr Peter Phillips said that reports that he was aware that the ministerial order would have come to the House on Tuesday were false.
Phillips explained that Prime Minister Andrew Holness spoke to him on the margins of Gordon House “some time ago”, telling him that the Government intended to increase the period of exemption for Cabinet documents from 20 years to 70 years. Phillips said he immediately objected and told the prime minister that the period was too long. He said Holness then responded, saying it was the international standard.
“However, checks conducted by the Opposition subsequently revealed that this was not the case. Most Commonwealth countries range between 20 and 30 years for such disclosures,” read a release from the People’s National Party.
The Access to Information Act was passed in 2002 to facilitate openness and transparency in governance, and that at the time, access to Cabinet documents was reduced to 20 years.
The decision to withdraw the proposal is also being welcomed by the Trevor Munroe-led head of National Integrity Action, which says it commends the speedy and strong protest against the measure from the Press Association of Jamaica, the Media Association of Jamaica, Jamaicans for Justice, as well as other citizens.
Munroe told The Gleaner that the “U-turn demonstrates yet again that the voice of the people does matter and that the Government can be responsive”.
He added: “We hope that this experience will discourage this – or any – Government from proposals to undermine principles of transparency and accountability.”