Minister of Home Affairs and Information Gregory Nicholls has called for a measured approach to discussions on freedom of information legislation, arguing that transparency must be balanced with the practical realities of governance.
His comments come amid ongoing calls by BARJAM for the legislation to be passed to strengthen transparency and accountability across the public service.
Addressing media professionals at the Annual General Meeting of the Barbados Association of Journalists and Media Workers (BARJAM) at the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation headquarters on Saturday, Nicholls said the decades-long debate reflects the value Barbadians place on accountability.
However, he said that access to information is a complex issue, particularly in a modern republic.
“Any framework relating to access to official information must strike an appropriate balance,” Nicholls stated. “It must consider transparency and accountability alongside equally important obligations, including the protection of personal privacy, national security, cabinet confidentiality where constitutionally required, commercial sensitivity, and the effective functioning of public administration.”
Nicholls maintained that these requirements are not obstacles to openness but are essential components of democratic administration.
He pointed to the media’s role as interpreters of public affairs, even as he acknowledged the unique challenges journalists face in an era dominated by rapid digital communication.
“We live in an age where information travels instantly, but accuracy does not always keep pace with speed,” the minister observed, pointing to the rise of social media as fertile ground for misinformation. “Freedom and responsibility are not competing values; they are complementary ones.”
Even as he commended BARJAM on its continued advocacy for professional standards, Nicholls urged a relationship based on mutual respect rather than suspicion, noting that a robust democracy relies heavily on the quality of engagement between the state, the press, and the public.
“The pursuit of freedom of information is ultimately a pursuit of a stronger democracy,” Nicholls added. (RR)
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