KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Local human rights watchdog group, Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ), is calling for urgent reforms to the Access to Information Act to ensure that transparency and accountability in public administration are not undermined.
This follows a new review by JFJ that found persistent problems with how public authorities are implementing Jamaica’s Access to Information Act.
The study assessed the handling of 111 standardised information requests submitted to 101 public bodies between February and November 2025.
The report also found that nearly 38 per cent of Access to Information Act requests received no response at all, in breach of the law’s requirement for disclosure within 30 days.
Of the 69 requests that were answered, the average response time was 38 and a half days, with only about 31 per cent completed within the legal deadline.
It also showed that fewer than half of all requests were acknowledged within seven days, a benchmark recommended by Parliament.
More than 22 per cent were never acknowledged.
The report stated that performance varied across agencies, adding that ministries recorded the highest fulfillment rate at 78 per cent, while public bodies responded to just over 60 per cent of requests.
It went on to state that municipal councils performed the worst, fulfilling only 43 per cent of requests, with more than half receiving no response.
The review also found inconsistencies in handling transfers and deadline extensions, with several late responses issued without any formal extension requests.
Among the requests fulfilled, nearly 64 per cent resulted in full disclosure, 23 per cent in partial disclosure, and 13 per cent in denial.
Common reasons for denial included claims that no records existed or that requests were overly broad.
Jamaicans for Justice says data from the government’s ATI Unit also shows a nationwide decline in responsiveness, with grant rates falling sharply between 2019 and 2023.
Based on the findings, JFJ says there is a need to establish a joint select committee to review the Act.
It also wants the rollout of a digital request platform, stronger oversight powers, mandatory proactive disclosures, and a national public education programme on citizens’ rights under the ATI system.
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