Access to Information is truly an underpinning of democracy where transparency is needed to ensure the public's best interest is served. For societies to develop in the best way possible we must stay informed and empowered with the truth.
The International Day for Universal Access to Information 2020, IDUAI, on 28 September marks the first UN-wide celebration of the International Day, which was established by the 74th UN General Assembly 2019, four years after it was proclaimed by the UNESCO General Conference in 2015. Under the theme "Saving Lives, Building Trust, Bringing Hope", UNESCO organized a number of events around the world and in the Caribbean to celebrate IDUAI in 2020 and raise awareness on the importance of access to information.
The Caribbean region is scarce in timely and publicly available official data and information. Due to current developments in the corona pandemic a sea of misinformation, disinformation was rising. The IDUAI 2020 therefore shed light on the right to information in times of crisis and the benefits of constitutional, legal and/or political guarantees for public access to information in order to save lives, build trust and help formulate sustainable policies during and after the COVID-19 crisis.
A Caribbean Perspective on Public Information Laws
The UNESCO regional event in the Caribbean was organized jointly with the Media Institute of the Caribbean (MIC) to take a regional perspective on access to information.
Leading experts on access to information legislation from the region, journalists, broadcasters, media professionals and other stakeholders were invited to a virtual panel discussion on the Caribbean perspective on access to information in the region.
The panel discussion, moderated by Wesley Gibbings, Caribbean journalist and founder of the Association of Caribbean Media Workers, included Pedro Vaca in his capacity as Executive Director of the Foundation for Press Freedom (FLIP), Colombia; Judge Kathy Ann Waterman-Latchoo from Trinidad and Tobago; Susan Goffe, human rights activist from Jamaica; and press freedom lawyer and advocate, Dionne Jackson Miller from Jamaica.
Saadia Sanchez, Director and Representative of the UNESCO Cluster Office for the Caribbean, opened the session. She stressed the importance of universal access to information for the implementation of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development , and emphasizing that access to information has emerged as one of the most critical aspects to ensure healthy behavior and save lives, while at the same time making a strong claim to fairness, accountability and transparency.
Access to Information has emerged as one of the most critical aspects to ensure healthy behaviors and save lives, while it strongly claims for fairness, accountability and transparency
Judge Winston Anderson of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) gave an overview of the existing legal system for access to information in the Caribbean region. While the first "Freedom of Information Act" was ratified in Belize in 1994, there are still many Caribbean states that still do not have legislation such as the Access to Information - ATI Act. He points out the many challenges that the effective implementation of the ATI ACT faces. These include clear definitions of the term "public information", a wide range of excluded documents, lack of or weak human resources and the impunity that accompanies the non-publication of information.
Information is necessary to protect people, especially the most vulnerable. plans must be in place for how information can be shared during a crisis - as time-critical requests are information that can make or break a life-or-death decision.
Pedro Vaca explained 5 crucial steps that governments must take to successfully enforce the law. These include the establishment of an independent supervisory and enforcement body, a clear definition of exceptions to access to public information, remedies and procedures must be effective, free of charge and expeditious, and the protection of human rights in relation to access to public information.
Dionne Jackson Miller examined the situation of the ATI ACT in Jamaica, where it entered into force in 2004, and Judge Kathy Ann Waterman Latchoo assessed the level of information in Trinidad and Tobago. Both show that the competing interests have to be weighed between protecting the public and guaranteeing its right to information. in the case of an exemption of the ATI, clear reasons must be given.
Isabel Viera, Adviser for Communication and Information at the UNESCO Cluster Office for the Caribbean concluded the session “UNESCO is committed to further developing universal access to information in the Caribbean - together with you all and our other partners in the region”.
To take action from this virtual panel discussion to enhance public information on the Covid-19 situation in the Caribbean, the UNESCO Cluster Office for the Caribbean, together with the Media Institute of the Caribbean organize a series of workshops on October 7, 13 and 20 for Journalists in the sub-region to learn skills on fact-checking of data and information related to Covid-19 in the region.