…PM says office was rendered dysfunctional
… emphasises need for non-partisan commissioner of information

Government has parted ways with Commissioner of Information, retired Judge, Charles Ramson Snr, for “rendering his office dysfunctional”.
Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo told the Committee of Supply of the National Assembly on Monday, during the Consideration of the 2019 national budget estimates that Ramson has not submitted any information regarding his mandate, and as such, his post was terminated on March 8, 2018.

“He has rendered no report, has provided no account for what he has done,” Nagamootoo said, noting that no money was set aside for the Office of the Commissioner of Information in the 2019 budget.

In reply to a barrage of questions from PPP’s Juan Edghill and Anil Nandlall, the Prime Minister said that he could not say whether the sacked Commissioner did any work that benefitted any citizen, since he did not file any report. The PM said that his office, however, did pay him salaries and benefits in excess of $22 million for 2018.

“Our Department of Governance will review the functioning of this office, with the hope of re-activating it in the future,” the Prime Minister assured.
Meanwhile, the Opposition PPP which has questioned the presence of the Prime Minister in the House, on the ground that he is performing functions of the President, fully engaged him in a spirited question and answer exchange during consideration of the estimates of expenditure on agencies within his portfolio.

The Prime Minister has responsibilities for public information, broadcasting, governance and parliamentary affairs.

The Prime Minister also disclosed that the Government and the former Commissioner of Information, Charles Ramson Senior, are engaged before the courts in a “series of litigations” for monies which the commissioner claims are owed to him. It was however disclosed that issue of the office of the Commissioner of Information is being “re-examined.”

“We recognise that this a statutory office and the contractual employment of the last commissioner having been terminated, the Department of Governance and the Office of the Prime Minister will be looking at what measures to have the office resituated.”
The Prime Minister emphasised that it is necessary to assign someone who is fully qualified to function in the capacity of Commissioner of Information.

In November 2016, it was reported that Ramson was the subject of scrutiny following his failure to submit reports of his work, since he took office in 2013.
Prime Minister Nagamootoo told reporters at the time that he wrote Ramson asking whether he (Ramson) had submitted the information necessary for compilation of the report to be tabled before the National Assembly.

“I am not aware that any report had been submitted since the appointment of the Commission in 2013. None has been tabled in the National Assembly,” the prime minister said.

The commissioner is empowered by the Access to Information Act, which was enacted in 2011. The legislation establishes in Guyana, a regime of transparency and accountability wherein residents and domiciled persons can access public information once it does not conflict with the country’s Official Secrets Act.

There were concerns about Ramson’s decision to move his office from the Ministry of the Presidency to his East Street, Georgetown home, and Prime Minister Nagamootoo said in 2016 that he was unsure why Ramson relocated.

He told reporters: “I’d have to find out specifically why he would have had to relocate… I think he had problems parking his huge vehicle… there were some concerns about that.”
Ramson said to Guyana the Chronicle in June 2016, that there were very few requests for information since he took office, and even fewer after the administration had been changed. He pointed to requests made by the Guyana Bar Association and Transparency Institute of Guyana Incorporated (TIGI).

The former Attorney General (AG) under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) administration had refused to honour a request from the TIGI once, because he was not referred to as “Justice” in the official correspondence sent to him. Ramson’s appointment to the post was confirmed in 2013 by then President Donald Ramotar.