Moonilal: PNM flip-flopped on FOIA

OROPOUCHE East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal accused the PNM of flip-flopping over the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) over the years, speaking in Friday’s debate in the House of Representatives on a miscellaneous provisions bill which proposed a longer time for public bodies to reply to requests for information.

He recalled debate in the House when the FOIA was passed in 1999.

The Diego Martin North East MP (Finance Minister Colm Imbert) had hit the then UNC government’s stance as “abominable” and as intended to “legislate secrecy.”

He said the Arouca/Maloney MP (Planning Minister Camille Robinson-Regis) had complained that a 30 days deadline for bodies to reply was too long and they should be ordered to give a quicker time. Moonilal scoffed, “Look where we are today, 180 days. What a tangled web we weave!”

Otherwise, he said it was far cheaper for public bodies to simply give information to FOIA applicants rather than have to respond to a court lawsuit.

Moonilal then related that the FOIA had covered the Central Bank when first passed but that when the then Opposition had sought a director’s travel details, the Government had legislated to remove the bank from the Act. “Today the Government wants to seek information on former employees. Doesn’t the Central Bank produce an annual report with the organisational structure?” Seemingly in reference to a lawsuit brought by Central Bank former governor Jwala Rambarran over a seemingly bad reference, Moonilal said, “Maybe somebody wants to put in a defence.”