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.

Official documents

The act, passed in 2002, gives citizens the legal right to see official documents held by government bodies. Cox also says that individuals do not know about their rights under the act and says this needs to be changed.

"When we go out and do sensitisation sessions with members of the public, some people are, for the first time, hearing about access to information and the rights that it provides. They don't believe that they have these rights, so we have to engage more in terms of public information and getting that done," he said

Cox says currently the bulk of persons who use the act are from different professional sectors in the country, as pertains in other jurisdictions with access to information around the world.

He, however, said more ordinary Jamaicans are using it such as parents who check on the content of their children's education.

"When you look at the information, the statistics you have a lot of usage by stakeholders, civil society, media of course, academics, person doing regular research and individuals concerned about how public funds are being spent."

Competition

The high school competition, which was launched at the Fagan Avenue offices of Jamaicans For Justice will run until February 28 next year and is open to students from third to fifth form.

Students are being asked to discuss whether the right of access to official government documents granted to members of the public by the Access to Information Act (2002) strengthens our democratic system of government. The length of the essay is 2,500 words and the winner will be given $10,000, second place, $7,000 and third, $5,000.

mark.beckford@gleanerjm.com

The act, passed in 2002, gives citizens the legal right to see official documents held by government bodies. Individuals do not know about their rights under the act and this needs to change.