Protected Disclosure Bill in jeopardy

The Joint Select Committee analysing the Whistleblower Legislation, formally called the Protected Disclosure Bill, is in a dilemma.

The Committee now meeting at Gordon House is puzzled over how to encourage a person bound by the Official Secrets Act to disclose information under the Whistle Blower Act.

Legal counsel in the Attorney General's Office Marlene Aldred put the matter before the Committee on Thursday morning.

Mrs. Aldred explained that the committee has options.

“I really would say that there is one main option that the committee can consider using at this time and I will deal with that one first. The option is for the Committee to consider a specific exclusion of the operation of the Official Secrets Act from the bill. This is not a unique approach, it was done under the Access to Information Act,” Mrs. Aldred said.

However Committee Member Phillip Paulwell took issue with this.

He said the committee should be able to put forward recommendations for the repealing of the Official Secrets Act.

Mr. Paulwell says the repealing of the act was long in coming.

In the meantime, Committee Chairperson Dorothy Lightbourne sided with the Legal Counsel pointing out that it was not within the remit of that Committee to make recommendations.

Discussions on the Secrets Act are being carried out by another Committee.

The matter was laid to rest by Committee Member Clive Mullings who suggested granting immunity to a whistle blower under the protected disclosure act.