Premier: “More Open, Accessible, Accountable”
In advance of tomorrow’s debate [July 18] in Parliament on the Public Access To Information Act [PATI], Premier Michael Dunkley called PATI a “big step toward more open, accessible and accountable government.”
“Tomorrow, I will lead debate for the passage of Public Access to Information Regulations that will create the infrastructure allowing people to ask questions and get answers from the public sector,” continued the Premier.
“The passage of PATI will allow Bermuda to join the front rank of the world’s democracies; so all Bermudians can take pride in the fact that we are taking this great step forward.
“The Act and its implementation have been a long time coming, and perhaps that is a reflection of how difficult PATI has been to create. But I am very pleased that it has fallen to this Government to bring the Act and its regulations into operation.
“The target, once the legislation and regulations are passed, is to have PATI fully operational by April 2015.
“At the heart of PATI is acknowledgement that the most important person in the political system is the voter. In a truly democratic system of government, voters are the brick that form the foundation of the system. Governing begins with them and ends with them.
“It’s easy to think that PATI simply means that a bureaucrat will get a request for a document, make a copy of it and send it off to whoever asked for it. But it’s much more than that.
“It involves public authorities from top to bottom changing their mindset about the use of information. What used to be squirrelled away in a file somewhere, maybe never to be seen again, is, with some legislated exceptions, going to be available to anyone who wants it.
“That’s because we as a Country acknowledge that people can and should know what officials are doing on their behalf, and about the reasons decisions are made. Journalists will be able to use access to better inform the public. The Police will use it to help in the fight against crime, perhaps especially the new kinds of web-based crime that are becoming so prevalent.
“It will help in education, giving students, teachers and researchers access to information that has been time-consuming and difficult to access before.
“Experience elsewhere has shown that public access to information has secondary effects that are beneficial to the community.
“Experience has shown that greater public scrutiny of decisions taken by public bodies had led to improvements in the decision-making process, both in the nature of decisions taken and in the documentation of the decision-making process.
“Experience in other jurisdictions has seen improved quality in written material, with less subjective comment and more objective scrutiny of proposals. Better preparation of submissions and other official documents have also been experienced.
“The new PATI regime will change the relationship between people and their government, conferring more power on the individual than ever before, and requiring greater levels of government accountability than ever before.
“It’s going to work for the benefit of Bermuda and Bermudians in untold ways – broadening understanding and confidence in the way we do business as a Country. I am proud and pleased to make it finally happen,” added the Premier
BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, just make sure de mic is off !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Open, Accessible and Accountable.
Hey that’s the first time I’ve heard those words since 18 months ago.
What a difference a MARCH makes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Where were those words the previous 14 yrs plp was in power? I cant recall….
Or the UBP before them…
You mean the days before we were over $1bn in debt and we actually spent less money than we made? We probably never talked about it because we didn’t need it! Duh!
$2.4 BILLION in debt and climbing
He was Madumbo back then….wait for it….wait for it….LMAO LMAO….deuced you b*****.
This “Kunta” character reminds me of the ostrich; having its head below the ground while its rear end is exposed.
the Ostrich actually does not bury its head in the ground, she puts her ear to the ground whilst protecting her eggs/young ones listening for possible predators.. repeating everything we hear is part of the problem of education and knowledge…The Ostrich is indigineous to the Continent called “Africa” and its feathers are associated with Ma’at principles.The Ostrich has been given a false reputation, like a lot of people.
beautifully stated!
Actually they don’t listen for predators at ground level, though they do have great eyesight and hearing in general. It’s probably because like many birds they need and pick at sand and gravel for digestion and from the distance it can appear as if their heads are in the ground.
@ Finally, those words were always used against the P.L.P, but I guess they disappeared because since then you’ve had Suspended Term Limits promise broken, secret tapings, alleged bribery, unaccounted campaign funds($300.000), JET GATE, resignation of a Premier for corruption allegations(first time in Bermuda’s History) and de A.G AND Tourism Minister walk free, the now Premier having a F!@##@ episode caught on tape, make up a LAW to suspend ALL contracts (Harbor Front Gate) to benefit Friends and Family (and possibly have to pay out millions for Legal fees to Mr. McClain),and de Tourism Board withholding information from de public for de distribution of de $23 million allocated to them( Oh and did David Dodwell and his partners owe $$$$$ or so for Nine Beaches, PHEWWW just to name a few in a short space of time.
The PATI law was announced before the march. Something the PLP failed to do despite their promises.
But then, you are a real kunta.
Why do you keep adding an ‘a’ to the end of your name?!
But on a real, i am sure that there there is a reason the PLP is being so boisterous all of a sudden for very little reason. Notice how the march turned from a march of democracy, to a march to recall the governor, to a march protestiting ‘entitle’ for PRCs, now to a march that wants parliament dissolved and a GE called! The marchers aired any and all greivances they had with anything during that display on Tues! I really would love to see us go to the polls. That way the electorate can finally show how much the PLP is out of touch with reality!!
Stay tuned my friend! And fyi, it is in relation to PATI.
Click on the Bernews related posts just above the comments section. You will find these words were used prior to the march.
Actually, it was an election promise.
the…not de
And the PLP did what exactly?
Oh yeah, they lied to everyone, and hid everything.
Just another initiative the former government couldn’t achieve!
That’s right, OBA. Take all the things the PLP dilly dallied with for 14 years and get them done.
Well done.
And the things the UBP messed up as well..
Talking to an empty house.
You’ll get it.
Maybe now we’ll get some answers on jetgate and the real reason the referendum on gaming was scuppered .
We also may get information on the case of the unaccounted for millions under the former regime.
Wrong! Jetgate is an internal party matter for the OBA to handle. I doubt PATI will cover that!
Yes I totally agree coffee!!! But also we actually might get answers on the following, berkleygate, union bond forgiveness gate, heritage wharf gate, Lois Browne Evans building gate, Uighergate, atlantic condo gate, playboy mansion gate, whites island gate, hand picked COH team gate, fast ferry gate and the many more GATES of the plp time of fiscal terror!!!!!
But what of “investgate”?
….oh and there’s more…so much more !!!
So tell us why the OBA is blocking access to the taxpayer funded TA?
$27 million per year and we can get no answers.
PATI or no PATI
How are they blocking it? Legit question. Because that would be something to march about. Not the gowener turned us down fa sumtin we neva gave a f*** about, lets march on gumint house while ya boy aink deya n while we at it lets throw some PRC, land grab, dissolution of of a DEMOCRATICALLY elected parliment in the mix with a pinch of lets go independent and f*** ourselves on the side.
disappointed i you!
At least we know where that money is going whereas we have no idea where the $800m went while the PLP was in power! Can you get us the answers and report back next week in your weekly column? I bet you won’t!
Here goes Famous again.
No PATI for sure w PLP. Zero…wonder why that was Christopher?
And why no action on the land issue by the PLP in 14 years….and now it is a full blown national emergency? In reality the 2 billion debt left by the PLP is our only current emergency…but they don’t want to talk about that.
Won’t be too much longer until some of that missing $800 million is tracked down. Can’t wait for that.
You need a snorkel to survive your head is so far up someone’s arse.
27×14 equals?
Where is the 800 million?
@famous, Famouss or Famousss, they very well could be up until now blocking the info on the tax payer info concerning the TA, for the exact same reason your plp ( Zane) blocked the tax payer salary info on the head of the BHB, did you conveniently forget that???
Premier Dunkley why is the chairman of your OBA party running and hiding?
Where did the $ 300 000 really go or are you saving it for the next election?
Alvin, nice try but, what the heck does that have to do with PATI??? What you speak of is a private donation and has nothing to do with government money!!! Now, do you really want to go there when it comes to who, how much and were the money went when it comes to your plp??????
Like de Tourism Authority is government money and Dodwell and his cronies don’t make it a public interest, plus him and his crew owed $$$$$$ from Nine Beaches !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
$800 million – coming soon to a court room near you – and hopefully to be followed by an inquiry and more marches
hey,first answer where all the money went under your plp family n friends went!
Of his meds again
Now investgate any past shady dealings
It’s funny how ppl constantly bring up what the PLP did or didn’t do in their 14 yrs. BUT WHEN PPL WANT TO DISCUSS the issues with land grab these same ppl say get over it, move on, nothing will come out it. It’s so true what’s good for one group of ppl isn’t good for another. Bermuda will stay divided and the whites will continue to be as they are.
Ohh so now it is all the white peoples fault?? SMDH!
Funny that you sound oddly like the people you were talking about.
And why , after two months is Craig Cannonier still occupying Clifton .. The residence of the premier . The OBA is sucking taxpayer dollars under the provobial table . Cannonier is living free off of the people of Bermuda while civil servants give up a days pay per month . Hurry up with PATI .
He has 3 months grace.
he does not need 3 months to move out
Not the first time and surly not the last time were going to hear such words which is used by both leaders of the OBA and the PLP. — both Marc Bean and Premier Dunkley have used the words,more Open,Accessible and Accountability but
now they have to prove it. — no SECRET’S ‘ – yeah right! — putting more pressure on themselves’
With the current operation of our Government and from years gone past, when the internal disarray is finally revealed for public scrutiny (of documentation not deleted before PATI – the process has begun) – the world is about to be blown over by the poorest set of public ‘managers’ known to administration!!
Mr Donkey the truth is not in you SMDH waste of effing film hahahahaha