Thomas Mulls Information Commission for OECS Assembly

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Monday, 13 August 2012 02:30

By caribarena news

Antigua St. John's - Newly appointed Commissioner of Information Allister Thomas says he would openly welcome the opportunity to integrate his new office into that of the OECS Assembly if the request were ever to be made.

Thomas, who attended the inaugural sitting of the OECS Assembly in Antigua last Friday based on official invitation, said he was taking notes on the procedural guidelines and record keeping practices of the House in preparation for the task that may arise.

“I have given it thought and feel that if there would be some report of that interest to work with the information of OECS I see it linking with the economic challenges that we all have how we could think or adjust the law so that the Commission could serve this OECS Assembly,” he said.

The Commissioner posited that it was indeed important that the sub region looks at creating a link to cut economic costs, and since the assembly is based in Antigua & Barbuda and having an information commission here would indeed be an asset. Thomas said he was more than prepared to stretch himself regionally and reshuffle the resources of his office to fit the needs of the new mandate if indeed it was given.

“I am quite willing. As long as the OECS Assembly looks at it we would staff ourselves to fit that purpose … it is pretty easy for us to do that. And I think it would be timely considering that we have the OECS Assembly here and Information Commission for the OECS Assembly would be quite useful,” Thomas said.

In the meantime, the appointment of the new Information Commissioner has recently been ratified by the Senate and is now official. But although Thomas will not take office until August 15, he has taken steps to familiarize himself with the requirements of his office.

He told Caribarena on Friday that he felt he got mixed reviews from the Opposition Antigua Labour Party (ALP) in both the House and Senate regarding his appointment, but for the most part he has received their endorsement.

“I would say I have gotten across the board of bipartisan endorsement because it is almost unprecedented to have members of the opposition voting on any issue independent of their party’s position. I think maybe it is a historic occasion,” Thomas said.

He went on to note that one of his first orders of business come August 15 would be to look at the resources and manpower of his office and to get an assessment of the workings of his predecessor.

Speaking to the matter of the controversial Wadadli Power Plant (WPP), Thomas noted the expressions of hope by opposition MPs that he would make that one of his first orders of business. The freshly appointed Information Commissioner said diplomatically that he intends to function in keeping with the mandate of his office, irrespective of the challenges that come before him.

“It is all about functioning in relation to the responsibility and commitment and challenges that come before me and the requests that come before me and the resources that are available and the response that I can get from the various ministries. But I will work to make sure that the Commission functions at its maximum. That is my intention.”

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