The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

AGRICULTURE and Marine Resources Minister Jomo Campbell said the Ombudsman Bill, which passed the House of Assembly last night, will empower Bahamians and boost trust in the government.

Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard, however, said while he supports the bill, he does not expect the Davis administration to fully implement it, likening the legislation to the Freedom of Information Act, the full implementation of which Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said is not a priority for the administration.

Parliamentarians argued that the bill would ensure the rights of Bahamians are upheld while also holding the government accountable for its actions.

The Office of the Ombudsman could investigate the administrative operations of public authorities to see if there’s any maladministration. It could investigate allegations by Bahamians that there has been a “breach of fundamental rights and freedoms” in how a government body has dealt with them. It could also make recommendations to the government about obeying international human rights law.

“The Office which this bill establishes has the potential to become one of the most important in the entire government,” Mr Campbell said. “Its functions, as laid out in the bill, serve to protect citizens who make legitimate complaints while simultaneously doing the same for the holders of public offices by conducting impartial investigations and making relevant recommendations.”

“The word Ombudsman is of Swedish origin and is said to mean ‘representative of the people’. This is exactly the role that the holder of this office will take. The Ombudsman will be tasked with ensuring that the rights of the Bahamian people

interacting with their government are upheld. He or she will be asked to conduct themselves in a way that is not only impartial but patriotic as their only loyalty in carrying out their duties should be to our country, its laws, and its citizens.” East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson said when the Office of the Ombudsman is established, its staff will be overwhelmed with legitimate complaints because the Davis administration will ignore the law when convenient.

Mr Pintard said he lacks confidence that the government will follow its obligations under laws related to transparency and accountability.