THE EDITOR, Sir:
WITH REGARD to Cabinet minutes, I am puzzled by the report in last Saturday's Gleaner by Lloyd Simpson that with the implementation of the Access to Information Act, Jamaicans for the first time will have access to Cabinet records created since Independence in 1962.
This is not accurate because under the Archives Act, which was passed in 1982, records are available for public inspection after they are 30 years old. This means that records up to 1973 should be in the Jamaica Archives and open to the public.
However, I understand that the Jamaica Archives do not have the Cabinet minutes for the 1960s as they were still at the Cabinet Office. However, I was told that they have Cabinet submissions up to the early 1980s.
I would like to know from the Cabinet Secretary when these minutes will be transferred to the archives. I have tried to contact the Cabinet Office but I was not successful.
I phoned the Access to Information Unit and was told that under the Act, Cabinet Records are exempt documents but they can be made available after 20 years. This means that Cabinet Minutes up to 1983 should be open to the public. I would therefore like to know when these records will be sent to the Jamaica Archives as I am doing a research project and I would like to have access to these records.
I am, etc.,
Andrew J Henriques
18 Daisy Avenue
Kingston 6
andrewjhenriques2002@yahoo.co.uk
