WHEN I'm done, Mr. Editor, one of the ironies of my Parliamentary career will surely have been my attendance earlier this summer at a parliamentary conference in Guyana. I went as part of a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association resource team which also included from Bermuda Deputy Speaker and former Premier Dame Jennifer Smith. Our mission ¿ and this might be of particular interest to you Mr. Editor ¿ was to participate as featured speakers in a four-day workshop on Parliament and the Media which, it was hoped, might help in developing principles to strengthen the relationship between Parliament and the news media there.

The unofficial head of the delegation was Baronness Amos, the former U.K. Secretary of State with special responsibility for the Caribbean and the OTs, who also happened to be a daughter of the soil, having been born and raised in her early years in Guyana.

How was it that I was chosen, you ask? Good question. I suspect that it had something to do with my background, as a former journalist, and my current interest as House Leader for the Opposition and Shadow minister for Legislative Reform. At least that's my story and I'm still sticking to it. Also, when asked, I volunteered. By the way, and for those of you who are wondering, my travel expenses were picked up by the Bermuda branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) as well as by the Association itself, and it was the first CPA conference abroad which I have attended in 15 years as an elected parliamentarian ¿ and there's usually on average two per year up for grabs. The irony that the CPA team featured members from Bermuda was not lost on the Guyanese MPs, one of whom, in his introduction of myself, was moved to remark, wryly, but politely, how members were about to hear from one of their brothers - "my B'mooda brudder" had melodious ring to it I shall not soon forget ¿ who hailed from one of the few remaining colonies. No problem: as I told them later Bermuda also happens to be the oldest Parliament in the Commonwealth outside of the British Isles ¿ but not that we still seem to act like it.

As it turned out, thankfully, the workshop ended up to be more wide-ranging than just a narrow focus on how the news media can do a better job of reporting what goes on inside Parliament, although there was no shortage of ideas and exchanges on the subject. Sound familiar? If not, try this: the real hot button issue turned out to be Freedom of Information legislation.

An Opposition member of the Guyanese National Assembly had had the temerity a few months earlier to produce and table a Freedom of Information Act. It was awaiting support from the Government which had yet to take a position on the bill. The CPA organisers brought in an outside expert to talk on the issue, Mr. Toby Mendell of an independent, non-governmental agency known as Article 19. He made no secret of where he stood on the issue. No self-respecting, modern jurisdiction should be without one ¿ Freedom of Information Act that (FOI for short).and an enterprising Mr. Mendell brought a model FOI with him. Apparently he never leaves home without it. He stressed that as far as his organisation was concerned, such legislation enshrined the right to information and that the right was today a fundamental human right.

"It's the oxygen of a democracy", he said, adding at another stage that "a little sunshine is the best disinfectant".

Notwithstanding his use of metaphors, Mr. Mandell's words were strong words.

"It's almost an embarrassment not to have one", he declared. Some 75 countries do, apparently.

That was like waving a red flag to a bull. The Government was not amused and said so, in so many words, the day the workshop ended. Probably because the Opposition had reason to gloat ¿ and did.

One of 12 recommendations coming out of the conference, the second in fact, gave a clear signal: "Guyana should enact Freedom of Information legislation within a clear time frame and should, thereafter, make efforts to implement it fully".

Fortunately or not, Bermuda's position did not become the subject of debate. As you know, we're still waiting. The 11 other recommendations (see below: the official CPA communiqué ) give us an insight into some of the challenges they are facing in Guyana. Things we take for granted, like broadcasting the proceedings of Parliament. There are real technical challenges reaching parts of the country by radio and TV.

But they do have a basic website ¿ to which the few who are connected can turn ¿ which is something that is long overdue here in Bermuda. However, we were all captivated by what they do in Trinidad and Tobago. Parliament there has a fairly well-developed website on which they post orders, minutes, bills and broadcast debates live. There is also biographical data on each MP and how they may be reached for the purposes of making your views known. There is also the facility to make representations and submissions.Very 21st century - and it's not that we here in Bermuda don't know the value this technology can bring to the parliamentary process. Government members, supported by the Opposition, are pushing to be able to use laptop computers in the House and those ubiquitous Blackberries can already be seen in fairly widespread use.

While the gulf between Government and Opposition is as wide in Guyana as it is here, I was impressed by the way in which they organise the business of their National Assembly ¿ and they are mostly part-timers too. They have a standing Management Committee of the House which is comprised of equal numbers of members of Government and Opposition. The Speaker is the chair but has no vote. The committee's job is quite simply to manage the business of the Legislature, free from executive power and influence, and the members must do so by consensus.

Their rules also provide for oral questions without formal, prior written notice. A 20-minute period is set aside for this each day they meet. The Speaker must be given prior notice and his permission sought before they are asked and to qualify they must be questions that are either urgent and important or which relate to the business of the day. It's never amazing what you can learn from others, Mr. Editor. Thereafter, it's only a matter of will and implementation.

NEXT WEEK: What we learned from the UK Foreign Affairs Committee's Report

CPA Communique

THE Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, in collaboration with the Parliament of Guyana and the Commonwealth Secretariat, convened a Workshop on PARLIAMENT AND THE MEDIA from Wednesday, May 28 to Saturday, May 31, 2008 at the Grand Coastal Inn in Georgetown, Guyana.

During the welcome address by the Speaker of Guyana's Parliament, Hon. Hari N. Ramkarran, MP, the broad, overall objective of the Workshop was articulated as strengthening the relationship between Parliament and the Guyanese media, through improved understanding of Parliament's work and procedures, to be developed within a context of mutually agreed-upon principles of media coverage.

Throughout the Workshop the forum underscored the need for both Parliament and media to define their relationship, in terms of each group's rights, duties and responsibilities as they together fashion a concept of "Partners In A Common Endeavour" which collaboration, in turn, should result in the public's better understanding and appreciation of their elected representatives' work in the Legislature ¿ and the role and responsibilities of the Parliament Office.

Some 50 Members of the Guyana Parliament and media personnel ¿ Editors, Managers, Reporters - met to consider a wide range of issues presented by a eight-member CPA Resource Team.

After robust, interactive participation amongst Parliamentarians and media, arising out of the presentations and responses from the floor, the Workshop identified several principles and affirmed agreement to consider further, issues discussed during the ten sessions.

The following points and principles reflect the discussions and exchange of ideas emanating from the Workshop:

A review of the relationship between Guyana's Parliament and its national media must impact positively on the public, in terms of the people's right to access accurate and objective information and reports on the Role of Parliament.

The Role of the Media as the Fourth Estate, including a responsibility to be the guardian of democracy professionally scrutinizing as they do, the work and conduct of Parliament ¿ Government and Opposition ¿ and the many agencies of the State, should be recognised.

An improved relationship between Parliament and the media should include some form of a Parliamentary Public Education Facility headed by a competent and neutral professional, as well as the media actively and consistently availing itself of the opportunities Guyana's Parliament provides for coverage of its specialized and sectoral committees. The media must observe the protocols of Parliament during their coverage of the House.

The Public Interest is often defined by anything that affects people's lives. However, the media frequently influence such decisions thereby raising related issues such as the right to privacy and the media's responsibility to be fair and balanced ¿ never abusing the principles of freedom of the press.

Citizens have a right to access Parliamentary information as it is the people who elected members of the Legislature who, in turn, should be working in their interest in the Parliament. Methods of that access include coverage and dissemination by the media using all technologies; Parliament's own facilities and rules of coverage and the media's access to Parliamentary Committees and Public Servants. Parliamentary privileges and culture should also inform consideration of access.

Coverage of the National Assembly must take into account the roles of the Government, the Opposition and the Parliament Office functionaries. An understanding of national decision-making should be facilitated by the relationship between Parliament and a balanced professional media, a sensitized school system and effective public education programmes.

Both State and Private media should be fair and balanced with respect to coverage of Parliamentary presentations. Guyana's expanse and hinterland geography dictate that appropriate communication and information technologies be utilized to communicate to the public the Parliamentary contributions and work of all MP's, including those who represent far-fling communities.

Freedom of Information legislation, whilst very much desirable, demands intensive and extensive study to ensure the premise of citizens' fundamental right to information is included, as well as a regime of legitimate exceptions and an accommodation with respect to existing Secrecy laws and other relevant legislation in the Public Interest.

Experiences from Caribbean and other Commonwealth countries that have enacted and implemented Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation; the experience of FOI Administrators and the response of the media and civil society; techniques to overcome traditional political and bureaucratic cultures of secrecy, training and management and maintenance systems, as well as FOI public awareness programmes ¿ all constitute required elements of FOI implementation, after the legislation is enacted.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Arising out of the presentations by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Resource Team, questions and interventions from participants and responses from the CPA Panel, the following Recommendations were identified and agreed upon to strengthen the relationship between Parliament and the media.

1. Efforts should continue between Parliament and the Media with a view to the development and establishment of a mutually-beneficial professional rapport.

2. Guyana should enact Freedom of Information legislation within a clear time frame and should, thereafter, make efforts to implement it fully.

3. Parliament should facilitate the broadcast of its proceedings so as to reach the widest possible range and greatest possible number of the country's population.

4. The initiative by Guyana's Parliament to establish a Communications and Public Education Unit should be supported and to this end the dedicated Parliament channel of Trinidad and Tobago, with its live television and radio broadcasts, packaged edited versions, as well as Internet transmission of the deliberations of Parliament should be studied.

5. Parliament and the Media should collaborate, in an effort to broaden knowledge and understanding of Parliament's role in decision making, by making available opportunities for the training of journalists in the role and procedures of parliamentary committees and its general operations.

6. When broadcasting, non-partisan parliamentary commentators should be utilized to describe and explain the proceedings in Parliament to the public when possible.

7. Consideration should be given to further developing and updating Parliament's current website.

8. Courses of study about the role of Parliament should be introduced at all levels in the national school and University curricula and through appropriate outreach programmes and forums.

9. Parliament should give further consideration to a more effective system of work/study internship attachments to Parliament through which university students could serve as research assistants, library assistants or at other appropriate positions in the Parliament Office.

10. The CPA and Commonwealth Youth Programme's Youth Parliaments and similar initiatives should be supported as mechanisms to inform young people about Parliamentary work and procedures.

11. Parliament should provide adequate facilities for professional press and broadcast coverage of its proceedings.

12. The guidelines for the coverage of Parliament by the Media should be reviewed.