The Royal Gazette would like to thank all the members of the public and our colleagues in the media who last week showed their support for sunshine Week and the institution of freedom of information laws in Bermuda.

Whether you wore yellow on Thursday, wrote or called members of our staff or simply took some time to think about the Public Access to Information initiative, you should know that this is just the start of efforts to make freedom of information a reality.

It is very clear that this is something that will take some time, and while the Government has it on its agenda, it is not its highest priority.

The only way that that can occur is if the public makes it clear that this is something it wants and needs. So we encourage the public not simply to write to this newspaper, but to write to their MPs and to ask their MPs where they stand on the issue.

To be sure, this is a reasonably complex issue, in which the public interest needs to be balanced against individual rights of privacy. The good news is that much of this work has already been done, either through the PATI paper completed by Government's Central Policy Unit, or elsewhere. Bermuda is not reinventing the wheel.

Take the time to read the PATI document – it is available on the Government website (www.gov.bm) in the Central Policy Unit sub-section of the Cabinet Office section. It is an excellent document that will answer many of the questions that have been asked over the last few days.

Nor is there any need for this to become a partisan issue. There are few people who disagree with the principle of Freedom of Information, even among those who look for sinister motives in The Royal Gazette campaign. Instead, this is one of these not so rare occasions where the Island's political leaders can come together to spearhead the drive. That will show how the Westminster system can work in a non-divisive way to do good for the whole community.

For those who do question The Royal Gazette's motives, the answer is simple. We had to ask these questions: If not us, then who would take this forward, when, for better or for worse, it is journalists who spend the most time getting access to information and passing it on to the public?

And if not now, then when should we take up this mantle? Is it right to wait for the politically opportune time, when we can do it now?

That is not to say that it should not have been done before; but surely one has to recognise that delay before only makes it more necessary to act now.

Finally, The Royal Gazette wants to thank all of the people who stepped forward to be subjects for stories and offered opinions on this issue, with former Premier Alex Scott at the forefront.

It may be that Mr. Scott has taken a certain amount of criticism within his own party for stepping forward. But, as MP Walter Roban said in another context yesterday, sometimes a leader has to be in front of his troops, and Mr. Scott has demonstrated leadership consistently on this issue. That's often a lonely place to be, but it's a test of political courage to stand up when others around you are looking for cover. Mr. Scott is still standing.

Those who remain sceptical about this initiative should look at the real benefits and opportunities of freedom of information before they shoot the messenger. This is a great opportunity that should be grasped for the benefit of all Bermudians.