Communications policy now in draft - Minister with responsibility for Information

Communications policy now in draft - Minister with responsibility for Information  

March 2, 2013

Minister with responsibility for Information Sandrea Falconer told government communicators that a draft communications policy is currently being framed. This is the most advanced development in this area.

Speaking with public sector communications heads on February 28 in Kingston, Minister Falconer said, "Public information is important for all Jamaicans to participate practically and meaningfully in the democratic process; it is required for access to government programmes and services and the public has the right to such information. It covers how our websites will look, how government offices should look, how we should brand them, how we should handle social media, the responsibility of the minister, and it gives communicators in ministries pride of place."

Minister Falconer said that communications practitioners will be invited to give feedback on the draft policy before it is submitted to Cabinet.

The minister said that the ongoing interaction that she has with communicators has helped to inform the drafting of the policy and that it will be available for internal review in a few months.

On the matter of public sector website standards, Minister Falconer said that the Office of the Prime Minister website had recently been updated, and it showed that there is a need for revision to the current standards that were drafted by the Central Information Technology Office (CITO). Minister Falconer said that she has initiated discussions at a ministerial level towards the updating of those standards.

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