President Bharrat Jagdeo has said that promised Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation would likely be introduced in the house in October, after the parliamentary recess.
“It’s being drafted,” Jagdeo said when asked about the status of the legislation after a news conference last Friday.
He had initially given a two-month timetable for the tabling of the bill when asked by international journalists at the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad, in late April. “As soon as we come out of the recess,” he said, explaining that there is not enough time before the recess to present the bill.
“When we come out of recess [the] Freedom of Information [bill] will definitely be there and maybe early next year broadcast legislation,” he added.
The administration has failed to act on the two-year-old FOI bill tabled by AFC leader Raphael Trotman, who said the announcement of plans to table legislation was an attempt to save face after questions about governance, corruption, and transparency in Guyana were raised by the party in a full-page advertisement placed in the Trinidad Express during the Summit.
The main opposition PNCR-1G as well as GAP/ROAR have both publicly pledged their support for the bill and according to Trotman the AFC had always indicated its willingness to engage the governing party on advancing the legislation.
The AFC recently issued a public reminder to the administration of Jagdeo’s promise to table long-awaited legislation.
It also stated that the government should remember that the party has already placed legislation before the National Assembly designed to achieve the same objective of providing access to information to members of the public.
AFC MP Sheila Holder, noting that the government would be using the Trinidad & Tobago model as a precedent just as the AFC, emphasised that since President Jagdeo made his promise in a very public and international way, the eyes of the free world are on him and his government.
“The AFC is more than willing to have the government endorse, and adopt its bill in order to expedite the process,” she added.
Meanwhile, Presidential Advisor on Governance Gail Teixeira has told Stabroek News that the legislation is being drafted and would be tabled in the National Assembly shortly. When informed that the two-month timetable given by the President is approaching, she said, “These things take time.”
She insisted that work is continuing on the bill and it would be introduced in the assembly upon completion.
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE TO ALL!!!!KEEP THE STARS AND STRIPES FLYING HIGH — GOD BLESS AMERICA.Sanhurst you are invited to the barbeque in my backyard today.Two grills will be fired up.
Sandman, i almost forgot, our President Obama will be signing the freedom of information bill in the rose garden today.
To all my BROTHERS who fly the eagle with the wings up or down i hope to greet you on the square one day.Enjoy the fourth.
hehehehehe I love the PPP’s response these people are so predictable……”it is being worked on”.
Just like how the business plan for the money from the EU was “being worked on” and the crime situation is being “worked on”.
fine wok bai, fine wok….
don’t hold your breath on this freedom of information act folks ..this govt is a dictatorship.
Moderator, correct me if I am wrong, but didn’t Jagdeo say during his visit to Trinidad for the Summit of Americas (when Obama was there) that on his return to Guyana he will be pushing for the Freedom Of Information Law? Was he trying to impress Obama and others? Now we are being told it won’t happen until October, and when October comes, he will blame the PNC and it will be pushed back agan! Who in their right mind in Guyana or outside of Guyana really trusts Jagdeo? Does he even trust himself?
Moderator’s note: Yes, he did.
Jagdeo has not kept his word to the Guyanese people ever, why does anyone think this situation would have been any different?
Why do you think the AMericans, the Canadians and the British do not trust the PPP?
They have squandered all the goodwill they had with these countries since 1992, now they are running from capital to capital cap in hand begging for money to prop up their failures.
whatever Jagdeo!! from promise to the next. im not holding my breath. im looking forward to it being tabled by the new govt in 2011. hopefully it will not be the PPP
We not only want freedom of information bill, we want a change in the constitution. POWER TO THE PEOPLE. THEY ARE NOT DOCILE.
cack eye samaroo ka ka you will get your bill passed, then you will be able to expoze govt for all wrong doings and corruption, then your april fool comedians (afc)will win next election and you will be awarded your much deserved foreign minista job and guyana will be de greatest country in de world to live in..Rohee wont be in your mind no mo…..
once again let me ask de big question::
Anyone, Ramjattan for President of the republic of Guyana?
No not ramjattan, evileyes for president, and amen-ra for pm.
amen-ra
i endorse you for PM..but you want to legalise illicit drugs..no no no…eheheehehehe
well according to blogheads here they dont want ppp to govern…they dont want pnc to gover “again” so the only choice they are left with is cousin Ramjattan because of the agreement he and big Trotman has..alternate leaders…..or is bess i go back and run de blasted country mehself…de evil won fuh presidente…ehehehehehehe….
Cack eye what has your great government given us in 17 years? share their achievement with us?
you only wish you could probably stand in Ramjattan’s shoes, You are on here night and day hollering PPP PPP PPP, what have they done for my people in 17 years, tell me man.
Shout to the roof tops and tell us what have they delivered so far?
CAck eye at least Ramjattan was able to deliver an FOI bill, where is Jagdeo’s? its being worked on?
Cack eye how the visine wukkin? look like you need extra strength call up ramsammy and see if he gat contacts to get you some.
Why is there no consistent pressure on this governement to honor their obligations?
Maybe October; maybe next year… Do reporters really know what words mean?
this govt forget it work for the people we will get the FOI pass close to election roads will be repair a reduction in vat throw gt people a bone remember ppp gives u just enough to stay above ground