MY RIGHTS

The Access to Information Act “ ... provides members of the public with a general right of access to official documents and for connected matters ...”. There are however, stated categories of records that are classified as exempt from disclosure.

You also have the right to apply for an amendment or annotation of personal records if you have found that an official document contains personal information that is “... incomplete, incorrect, out of date or misleading”; ... and ... “has been used, is being used or is available for use by a public authority for administrative purposes”. [Section 24.1a, 1b]


OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS

A document held by a public authority in connection with its functions as such, whether or not it was created – (a) by that authority; or
(b) before the commencement of this Act, and for the purposes of this Act, a document is held by a public authority if it is in its possession, custody or control.

Documents include, in addition to a document in writing –
(a) any map, plan, graph or drawing;
(b) any photograph;
(c) any disc, tape, sound track or other device in which sounds or other data (not being visual images) are embodied, whether electronically or otherwise, so as to be capable (with or without the aid of some other equipment) of being reproduced therefrom;
(d) any film (including microfilm), negative, tape or other device in which one or more visual images are embodied whether electronically or otherwise, so as to be capable (with or without the aid of some other equipment) of being reproduced therefrom. [Section 3]

APPLYING FOR ACCESS

An application can be made in any of the following ways:

  • Face to face
  • Electronic medium, for example, e-mail or facsimile transmission
  • Telephone
  • Written request
  • Application form
   
       
 
Ministry of Labour and Social Security
1F North Street, Kingston, Jamaica W.I.
Tele: (876)967-7743 / (876)922-9500-13
Fax: (876)922-6902
Email:ati@mlssgov-jm.com