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Buchanan accounts for the PM's trips
published: Sunday | February 4, 2007 <DIV class=KonaBody L13eH="true">
Buchanan
Buchanan accounts The following are excerpts from Information Minister, Donald Buchanan's response to last week's Sunday Gleaner articles - 'PM's $10m trips' and 'Costly breaches of travel rules'. <SMALL>
Let me begin by saying that as minister with portfolio responsibility for the Information subject, I observe always with a sense of encouragement, articles generated by our journalists, which relate and ventilate issues of national import and interest.
More so perhaps, those enabled by the use of the Access to Information (ATI) Act which was promulgated by this Government with the express intention of reinforcing and deepening our democracy, through the grant of a general right of access to official documents. Indeed, the act recites as part of its objective, giving further effect to the fundamental principles of government accountability, transparency and public participation in national decision making.
That the act would be a ready tool for journalists, academics and other disciplines which rely on obtaining facts in satisfaction of the inherent need for knowledge, accuracy, excellence and survival has always been apparent, contemplated, desired and encouraged by policy makers and administrators of the regime. That the reading, viewing, and listening Jamaican citizenry would be the ultimate beneficiaries and participants is also the intention. That the legacy of a knowledge-based society and economy is desired and desirable is the Government's continued commitment.
I now turn to my attempt to briefly capture, clarify and put in context some of the matters raised in the articles of Sunday last:
PM's travel and total cost
The selection of hotels for the Prime Minister is approached, among other things, with due consideration for the most economic cost and taking into account the following critical factors:
Ensuring special requirements relative to infrastructure and security are met.
Facilities befiting the office of the Prime Minister are in place, i.e. a suitable suite for high-level, confidential meetings with heads of state and officials. Departures from the usual modus operandi are occasioned from time to time by reason of:
Unavailability of preferred accommodation;
Choice of conference hotel;
Security specifications of the host country;
Fluctuations in hotel rates and other extenuating circumstances.
The Prime Minister wishes for it to be known that she has personally expressed preferences for hotels where the cost was potentially lower. However, decisions are made on the considered advice of the host country and their agencies, as well as the recommendations of the Jamaican missions, whose knowledge of the local environment must be valued.
The numbers comprising the Prime Minister's Delegation
The record will show that the Prime Minister travels with the minimum of delegates to any of the meetings to which she has been invited.
The details of the core delegation are as follows:
Most Honourable Prime Ministe
published: Sunday | February 4, 2007 <DIV class=KonaBody L13eH="true">
Buchanan
Buchanan accounts The following are excerpts from Information Minister, Donald Buchanan's response to last week's Sunday Gleaner articles - 'PM's $10m trips' and 'Costly breaches of travel rules'. <SMALL>
Let me begin by saying that as minister with portfolio responsibility for the Information subject, I observe always with a sense of encouragement, articles generated by our journalists, which relate and ventilate issues of national import and interest.
More so perhaps, those enabled by the use of the Access to Information (ATI) Act which was promulgated by this Government with the express intention of reinforcing and deepening our democracy, through the grant of a general right of access to official documents. Indeed, the act recites as part of its objective, giving further effect to the fundamental principles of government accountability, transparency and public participation in national decision making.
That the act would be a ready tool for journalists, academics and other disciplines which rely on obtaining facts in satisfaction of the inherent need for knowledge, accuracy, excellence and survival has always been apparent, contemplated, desired and encouraged by policy makers and administrators of the regime. That the reading, viewing, and listening Jamaican citizenry would be the ultimate beneficiaries and participants is also the intention. That the legacy of a knowledge-based society and economy is desired and desirable is the Government's continued commitment.
I now turn to my attempt to briefly capture, clarify and put in context some of the matters raised in the articles of Sunday last:
PM's travel and total cost
The selection of hotels for the Prime Minister is approached, among other things, with due consideration for the most economic cost and taking into account the following critical factors:
Ensuring special requirements relative to infrastructure and security are met.
Facilities befiting the office of the Prime Minister are in place, i.e. a suitable suite for high-level, confidential meetings with heads of state and officials. Departures from the usual modus operandi are occasioned from time to time by reason of:
Unavailability of preferred accommodation;
Choice of conference hotel;
Security specifications of the host country;
Fluctuations in hotel rates and other extenuating circumstances.
The Prime Minister wishes for it to be known that she has personally expressed preferences for hotels where the cost was potentially lower. However, decisions are made on the considered advice of the host country and their agencies, as well as the recommendations of the Jamaican missions, whose knowledge of the local environment must be valued.
The numbers comprising the Prime Minister's Delegation
The record will show that the Prime Minister travels with the minimum of delegates to any of the meetings to which she has been invited.
The details of the core delegation are as follows:
Most Honourable Prime Ministe
not gonna happen.
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