Access to information on government programmes and activities is a fundamental right of all citizens. It is an essential element of every system of democracy and facilitates transparency and accountability, indeed good governance practices. Jamaica has an Access to Information Act that was passed in 2004 and so does Trinidad and Tobago whose Freedom of Information Act dates 
back to 1999. Both pieces of legislation have similar provisions with the added safeguard of the right of citizens to recourse to an Appeals Tribunal in the case of Jamaica, or to the Ombudsman with further recourse to the High Court in the case of Trinidad and Tobago, if the information requested is denied. In both jurisdictions, there is no Commissioner of Information, and it is the responsibility of individual public agencies to make available relevant information to the public and to respond to requests for information.
