Edmond Campbell, Senior Staff Reporter

AFTER BARRING members of the public from its deliberations for nearly two and a half years, the parliamentary committee reviewing expenditure on projects under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) yesterday took a decision to remove the cloud of secrecy hanging over its meetings by allowing the media to cover the event in future.

For the legislative year 2009-2010, the CDF committee held 15 meetings and approved projects totalling just under $1.2 billion. However, the glare of the media was absent due to restrictions imposed by the committee.

Persistent urging from the press to open up the committee to public scrutiny paid off yesterday, when members of the committee finally relented and removed the in camera notation from its sittings.

A senior parliamentary clerk advised The Gleaner that journalists could now provide coverage for the committee's meetings on Tuesdays.

To date, no reason has been given for excluding the media from the secretive meetings that had been conducted over the last two and a half years.

Unaware of media block

The Gleaner has been reliably informed that the initial decision to bar the media from its sittings was not in keeping with the Standing Orders or the rules of Parliament.

Member of Parliament (MP) for Central Kingston Ronald Thwaites yesterday told The Gleaner that he was unaware the media was prevented from covering the committee's sittings.

"I don't know of any reason why it should have been (closed to the media) contrary to the norm which is for open committees," Thwaites said.

The outspoken Opposition MP argued that the proposals that MPs put out for their communities "are eminently suitable to be known by their constituents and by the public at large".

Thwaites revealed that he had commissioned a professional audit of the funds spent on CDF projects in Central Kingston.

"I have indicated to the prime minister's office and to the contractor general that I will send them copies of it as soon as it is available."

In a recent Gleaner interview, Speaker of the House of Representatives Delroy Chuck also admitted he was in the dark in relation to the CDF in camera sittings.

Chuck had given an assurance that he would investigate the matter.

Committee Chairman Everald Warmington had refused to comment on the matter when he was contacted recently.

edmond.campbell@gleanerjm.com