The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said implementing the Freedom of Information Act is not one of his top priorities, though he is committed to fulfilling the long-promised pledge to fully enact the system this term.

He said providing relief to struggling Bahamians is a more pressing issue.

His comment came after Information Commissioner Keith Thompson told The Nassau Guardian that the prime minister and attorney general’s offices are responsible for getting the technology his department needs to move forward with a pilot programme and facilitate information requests.

 Mr Davis spoke to reporters after the swearing-in ceremonies for South Andros MP Leon Lundy and West Grand Bahama and Bimini MP Kinglsey Smith.

 Asked if his administration is still committed to implementing the FOIA, he said: “Within my term of office, yes, but again, priorities require resources, and if I have a choice of putting and getting all those things in place as against doing things to alleviate the strain on my Bahamian people, the strain on my Bahamian people –– relief will come first. That is not off our drawing board. Right now, we just have too many challenges amongst our disadvantaged Bahamians that need to pay priority to. That’s my priority right now.”

 Successive administrations have promised to implement an information request system but failed to do so.

 Commissioner Thompson told reporters last May he anticipated facilitating information requests by late last year –– a pledge that never materialised.

 Mr Davis said he would get an update from his technical team on acquiring the technology to implement FOIA.

 However, FNM chairman Dr Duane Sands said yesterday Bahamians should not expect the administration to ever implement the FOIA.

 “Their willingness to adhere to the requirements of anything to do with procurement, fiscal responsibility, to say how the Bahamian people’s tax dollars are being spent, they are not interested,” he said. “They’ve been giving out no-bid contracts to the tune of millions of dollars left, right, and centre, and so Freedom of Information is an impediment to their way of doing business.”

“So tell the Bahamian people don’t hold your breath because it ain’t gon’ happen, not under this administration.”

 The last Ingraham administration passed a FOIA shortly before the 2012 general election but gave no date for enactment.

 The Christie administration overhauled that legislation but never implemented its provisions.

 In May 2021, the Minnis administration made Mr Thompson the first Freedom of Information commissioner. Shane Miller, a retired assistant director of legal affairs (ADLA), was appointed deputy.

 Last May, the Davis administration began training government workers as information managers.