People all over the world expect better access to information from today's society than ten or 20 years ago, Governor Sir Richard Gozney said yesterday.

Sir Richard, whose career as a diplomat included spells in South America, Asia and Africa, said both public and private sectors now face greater demands for openness than ever before, partly due to globalisation.

In an interview with The Royal Gazette, he declined to comment on the level of transparency in Bermuda's government and public bodies.

However, he suggested British parliamentarians currently preparing reports on the Island have talked unfavourably about the fact the Public Accounts Committee holds its meetings in private. The PAC — a cross-party group scrutinising the spending of public money — has long been the subject of calls for greater transparency.

Sir Richard said: "I think worldwide there's a growing realisation that the public expectation of information is higher than it was say ten or 20 years ago. This is partly because there are fewer and fewer countries where information is deliberately withheld or twisted in the way that we still see in a few like North Korea, say.

"It's partly because people's own access to information — using the computer and the Internet — is vastly greater, so people see what other countries are saying about their own country and what international NGOs or parliamentarians are saying. They also find out what other countries are revealing about themselves in terms of how much information is available.

"This isn't a phenomenon confined to government at all. It's something that the private sector need to meet in terms of expectations as much as the public sector."

Asked about transparency in Bermuda, Sir Richard replied: "I don't think it's the job of the Governor to comment on that. It's an internal matter for Bermuda.

"I have read carefully the Premier's assurances on transparency, just as I have been made aware of the assurances in the past from Government. I think that's a debate that needs to play through. It doesn't need an outsider such as myself chipping in.

"I think the outsiders will sometimes draw attention to some aspects.

"I have noted the way two sets of British parliamentarians in two select committees have talked about the fact that the Public Accounts Committee in Bermuda does not meet in open session.

"I'm struck by the fact that those foreign parliamentarians see this as something worth noting. It's fair to say they haven't noted it with approval, but they can speak for themselves. They don't need me to do so."

Those reports are still being compiled, Sir Richard said.

This newspaper's A Right To Know: Giving People Power campaign is calling for public access to information legislation to be passed in 2008.

Four and a half years ago, then Premier Alex Scott made a promise about PATI in his Throne Speech.

Mr. Scott's successor Ewart Brown insists plans for PATI have never been "derailed, delayed or deferred", but has refused to say when a draft bill will appear.

Sir Richard would not be drawn on our campaign, but warned it may not achieve its goal if Government interpreted it as an attack on itself.

"It's a matter for journalists to decide how they want to campaign and for Government to react," said the Governor.

"You as journalists have to decide how you are going to influence Government without evoking the sort of response which says that this is another Opposition attack on Government.

"Because if you evoke that sort of response then clearly that's not likely to take your case forward. But that's a statement of the blindingly obvious."

He added that any freedom of information legislation would have to be carefully drafted to work properly.

"I think it's normal that people want information. Part of the job of government is to strike a balance," he said.

"Many governments are cautious, I would say understandably cautious, about committing themselves to releasing information about the process that leads to decision-making.

"If you have got a government debating the what the level of tax would be ... you have sympathy for those who say they should not have to divulge how many times they sat around the Cabinet to reach that decision, or how many Ministers sat around the table."

The Governor said the amount of time civil servants would spend dealing with PATI requests was another issue.

He added: "I think the worst result of a debate about transparency is for a country to opt for a good degree of transparency but not to be able to deliver it for practical reasons rather than political reasons.

"Then everyone will assume that the transparency is not being delivered for political reasons, when there may in fact be very good practical reasons which are stopping it.

"It's quite hard to keep that in my mind because, when people urge more openness, it's hard to argue against that. It's like arguing against apple pie in the United States."