Last year, artist Jerry Enriquez sent a Freedom of Information request to the Cabinet Secretary asking how much public funds are allocated to each constituency from the Community Development Fund - and how the funds are accounted for. He says the office of the Prime Minister promised to provide detailed information- and even asked for a one month extension to put it together.
But what he got this week was just a single table on a page. He told us via zoom of his disappointment:
Jerry Enriquez, Electoral Rights Activist
"So we got the office of the Prime Minister promised to provide detailed information. And what I got was just a one pitch of how much funds were allocated to each electoral division. I found that very, disappointing, because there was a promise made for the details of information to be provided."
"I requested, monthly, but I also requested annual disbursements to the area representatives. I also requested reports as to how these funds are being used by the area representatives. What are they using it for in each of the electoral divisions? But I also requested from the year 2020 to 2025. And all I got was just one month breakdown and one page after all the extensions are being granted. That report did not require a one month extension."
"What they sent was very disappointing and, disrespectful."
Jules Vasquez
"What they sent you. It almost looks like contempt. What do you make of the of the of the spirit of that type of disclosure and what it says for the abandonment of the entire principle or concept of transparency and accountability?"
Jerry Enriquez, Electoral Rights Activist
"That kind of contempt and delivering that information that was less than, far less than what was requested. But it speaks to a bigger picture and a very disturbing picture of our government hiding information over and over repeatedly from the people, who deserve and has a right to the information about how their public funds are being spent. So we're seeing repeatedly there's a cover up by this government. They're less than transparent and accountable. There's deep cover up which speaks which to me is a form of it is corruption."
"When corruption thrives in secrecy."
