London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Hold gov't accountable for the yet-to-be-delivered Freedom of Information Act

Hold gov't accountable for the yet-to-be-delivered Freedom of Information Act

Residents of the British Virgin Islands should hold their elected representatives accountable for the constantly promised and yet-to-be-delivered Freedom of Information Act, Governor Augustus Jaspert has said.

The Act has been a constant fixture in the Speech from the Throne in the last few years. The Speech from the Throne is delivered by the sitting Governor and is done to outline the legislative agenda the elected government plans to pursue.

“It is really important that those speeches from the Throne are implemented,” the Governor said during a press conference on Friday. “That is something that I hope you all (the public) hold us to account … the government and the public service has a duty to then implement them.”

His remarks were made in light of another Speech from the Throne scheduled for the next few weeks.


History of promises

In March last year, Governor Jaspert’s Speech from the Throne under the previous National Democratic Party administration said Government was planning to implement the piece of legislation in the House of Assembly in 2018.

During that time, he said he had noticed a trend where former governors made legislative promises in their respective throne speeches that local government never followed through on.

Freedom of Information is one such Bill that has often recurred. But Governor Jaspert hopes this year is the final time talks to introduce the legislation will be mentioned in a Speech from the Throne, he said at the time.

“The Freedom of Information Act is something that I support … I hope that when we get back from summer break, it will be brought forward,” the Governor had said.

If the Bill is ever introduced and formally passed, it will include ‘guidelines on how persons can access public records without any exemptions’, Governor Jaspert had said back in March.

The Bill is also expected to include recommendations for the establishment of a Freedom of Information Unit, which will provide the public with ‘the appropriate administrative mechanism to make and receive requests’.

In response to the much-touted Bill, then Opposition Leader Andrew Fahie said if the NDP failed to implement the Bill, he would have it implemented if his Virgin Islands Party is elected into office.

It is now left to be seen if Fahie, who is now the Premier of the British Virgin Islands, will keep his word.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×