Investigative journalist and certified Freedom of Information practitioner William "ZiZi" Thomas has publicly condemned two government ministries and the Office of the Information Commissioner, accusing them of failing to respond to formal public document requests he hand-delivered more than a year ago.
According to Antigua Observer, Thomas described the prolonged silence as a clear breach of Antigua and Barbuda's freedom of information obligations — a charge that raises serious questions about the government's commitment to transparency and accountability.
Thomas, who holds professional certification as a Freedom of Information practitioner, said he personally delivered the formal requests to the relevant offices, leaving no ambiguity about their receipt. Despite that, neither the two ministries nor the Office of the Information Commissioner — the body charged with overseeing compliance with FOI laws — has issued any response after more than twelve months.
The allegations are particularly pointed given that the Information Commissioner's Office exists specifically to ensure government bodies honour their legal obligations to disclose public records in a timely manner. Thomas's criticism suggests that the very institution tasked with enforcing FOI standards has itself fallen short of them.
As reported by Antigua Observer, Thomas characterised the collective non-response as a systemic failure rather than an isolated oversight, signalling broader concerns about how public institutions in Antigua and Barbuda handle citizens' and journalists' rights to access government information.
