THE INTER AMERICAN Press Association is urging Caribbean organisations to participate in Sunshine Week 2006 to be observed from March 12-18.
Sunshine Week is aimed at promoting the publishing and broadcasting of stories high-lighting the importance of transparent government as a key element of democracy.
"By educating citizens about this critical issue, they will bring pressure on public officials to understand that the public has a right to basic government organisation," an association spokesperson said.
RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS
Nearly a year ago, news organisations throughout the United States participated in the first-ever National Sunshine Week to raise public awareness about the growing problem of excessive government secrecy.
During that week, hundreds of news organisations produced thousands of stories, editorials, columns and cartoons about the threat to open government.
According to the Inter-American Press Association, the growth of Government secrecy in the United States is alarming.
It also says, public officials try to restrict access to information that could be used to monitor the performance of government.
The association says, for example, citizens should be permitted to view government contracts as well as govern-ment's payroll records, for citizens to gauge whether their government is functioning efficiently and honestly.
For more information, visit www.sunshineweek.org. and www.sunshineweek.org/sunshineweek/brightideas06.
