No information commissioner in place since 2022; hence, Pringle reminds Browne of his advice to write to ‘nobody’

Antigua and Barbuda has been without an information
commissioner for almost two years, Prime Minister Gaston Browne
admitted on Tuesday, March 26, during a sitting of the Lower House.

The question arose when Rural West MP Richard Lewis asked who
the current information commissioner and integrity commissioner
are, and the location of their offices.
 
Browne disclosed that there has been no information commissioner
for the past 18 months, while attorney Radford Hill remains head of
the Integrity Commission.
 
The prime minister claims that his administration is in the process
of appointing an information commissioner and the matter was
discussed recently in Cabinet.

He claims, further, that several persons are being considered as
candidates for the position.

Then, going on the offensive in order to defend his shortcoming,
Browne attacked former Information Commissioner Alister Thomas,
accusing him of not having done anything during his tenure.

In the meantime, he says, there are information officers in the
various ministries, and they are now doing the work in the absence
of a commissioner; hence, any information required can be obtained
from them.
 

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle expressed concern at
the prime minister’s admission that there is no information
commissioner in place.

He pointed out that he has been requesting certain information from
the Browne Administration and has been told by Browne, himself, to
write to the information commissioner in order to get it.  
 
This was Prime Minister Browne’s response:

Prime Minister Gaston Browne.

A senior public-sector official, now retired, tells REAL News the level
of responsibility and accountability shown by Prime Minister
Browne is worrisome.

“When an administration deliberately makes it so difficult for the
public to access information, you know that is administration with
things to hide,” he says.

“The public is going to get a rude awakening,” he predicts.