GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATIONS over the years have tended to practise a cult of secrecy in keeping with the precepts of the Official Secrets Act of 1911. One of the first intimations that things might change came at Prime Minister Patterson's first swearing-in ceremony in April 1993. He pledged to pursue a path of transparency in public matters.
Although most Parliamentary committees are now open to the press and public there is not much more to celebrate in keeping with that pledge. Take, for example, the continuing debate on legislation about how much government information should be available to the public. Even before the relevant bill reached Parliament the title was changed from Freedom of Information to Access to Information Act.
However, a small window of access has appeared. In this week's Sunday Gleaner an advertisement was published under the aegis of the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) listing civil works contracts awarded in nine parishes.
When the JSIF was established its primary goal was to contribute to improving the living standards of the poor and vulnerable by increasing access to vital social services. Thus it has done much to upgrade water systems, repair roads, build basic schools, and the like.
According to the advertisement, the contracts awarded by the agency cover the period February to May 2002. The amounts awarded range from a high of $11.6 million for road rehabilitation between Above Rocks to Golden River in St. Catherine, to a low of $1.7 million for Girls' Town rehabilitation in St. Andrew. The contractors awarded and the funding agencies are listed in each instance.
We think this is a commendable example of how transparency should be practised. The matter of awarding contracts for government projects has long been a contentious matter. There have been protests about the quality of work done by anonymous contractors, sometimes presumed to be cronies cashing in on political affiliation.
The JSIF example of transparency, albeit on a small scale, should be emulated at the highest levels.
