More Jamaicans urged to access government information

Author: Mark Beckford, Staff Reporter

Title: Access to information needs to be more public

Source: Jamaica Gleaner

Date Published: Friday, October 2, 2009

URL: http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20091002/news/news3.html


Abstract:

Article highlights the situation following the implementation of the Access to Information Act in Jamaica, in 2002. The views of Damian Cox, director of the Access to Information Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister are revealed. He suggests that there is need for more publicity on the Act among the ordinary Jamaicans, and highlights that currently, mostly professionals and academics are making use of the provisions and the rights afforded by the act.

The article also discusses the high school essay competition to promote the knowledge and importance of the Act among students.


Excerpt:

Damian Cox, director of the Access to Information Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister, says more people need to take advantage of the Access to Information Act.

"I think we need more Jamaicans to use the law, I don't think even in this time when we are going into a review of the act everybody feels like we need to get more persons, ordinary Jamaicans using the law because the system
is in place," he told The Gleaner at the launch of the Access to Information National High School Essay
Competition, yesterday.