No matter what happens with the effort to introduce Public Access to Information laws [PDF] to Bermuda, there are certain changes that need to be made.
Notably, the meetings of public boards and committees need to opened to the public. Here are just a few examples:
- It is archaic and unnecessary that meetings of the Corporation of Hamilton are closed. Open them up now or risk accelerating claims of anti-democratic conduct.
- It is completely bizarre that the bipartisan Public Accounts Committee of the House of Assembly (which scrutinizes Government’s expenditures) meets in private … even though its members unanimously decided four years ago “that open meetings would increase transparency and improve the effectiveness of your committee.” Their request was turned down by the House Rules and Privileges Committee, usually chaired by Speaker Stanley Lowe. Should be simple to rectify, no?
- The Development Applications Board will increasingly be the target of criticism as pressures increase on Bermuda’s land use. The best way to deflect criticisms of favoritism is to open up its meetings. This is not a big step, after all, as the underlying files are already open to public review.
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