Access to Information in the West Indies: Gradual Progression to Greater Openness

Abstract

Since the turn of the 21st century, the region formerly known as the British West Indies has begun to embark slowly on the implementation of information rights legislation including freedom of information (FOI) legislation. The historical trajectory of the region has had a profound impact on its current position on the sharing of information between public entities and citizens. One of the challenges affecting the success of the implementation of FOI legislation is the state of recordkeeping in the territories, which has resulted in difficulties with providing access to official records and information over time. This article, from the perspective of an archivist/records manager, explores whether the historical past of the West Indies has some bearing on the slow enactment of FOI in the region and how proper recordkeeping could enhance the chances of success in implementation of FOI. It focuses on two main concepts, ‘open government’ and ‘citizen engagement’, underpinning FOI to assess whether the region has fully embraced these ideas and thus paved the way for implementation. It examines the Jamaican experience with FOI to determine whether this can be viewed as an effective model for other territories of the region to provide access to information for the betterment of West Indian society at large.     

Internet access as citizen's right? Citizenship in the digital age

Discourses about Internet and rights generate ideological, economic, and policy debates that bring to prominence the question of citizenship in today's digital age. But what does Internet access as a citizen's right imply? What are the pragmatic meanings of the intersection of citizenship, rights, and technology access? Specifically, what does citizens' right to technology mean for African states? This paper examines citizenship, rights, and Internet in South Africa, and attempts to move the discourse beyond philosophical rhetoric to practical policy interpretations. To do this, the study examines interpretations and reactions of policy-makers to the idea of Internet access as a citizen's right, and through a survey explores the views of many youth on this subject. Findings reveal strong opinions about rights and technology access in South Africa. For policy-makers, the reality of the socioeconomic challenges of Africa humbles an egalitarian aspiration of rights and Internet access.     

论治安管理处罚权

治安管理处罚权与和谐社会建设在终极目标上契合一致.受诸多因素的影响,治安管理处罚权在运行过程中与公民权的保障发生冲突.治安管理处罚权的设定有其历史和制度渊源,社会主导型价值观、传统文化思想以及政治体制等对治安管理处罚权有重要影响.应进一步规范和制约治安管理处罚权,提高治安管理效率,完善公民抵抗权和参与权.     

我国公共政策制定过程中的公民参与问题

本文通过对我国公共政策制定过程中公民参与的现状和问题的分析,提出一些政策建议。     

Can't Get No Satisfaction? The Association Between Community Satisfaction and Population Size for Victoria

Traditionally, the problem of determining the optimal size in local government has been empirically assessed by estimating the relationship between population size and the costs of services (usually measured in terms of per capita expenditure). These studies, however, have proved largely inconclusive. In comparison, an empirical analysis based on the relationship between the size of government and community satisfaction offers a potentially fruitful contribution to the debate regarding the optimal size of local government. However, to date, few studies have followed this approach. We therefore contribute to this literature by exploring the relationship between population size and community satisfaction for Victorian councils. Our findings provide evidence of an inverted ‘U‐shaped’ relationship, which predicts low community satisfaction at very large and very small population sizes.     

公务员诚信建设：意旨、现状与对策

公务员诚信建设是政府诚信建设的核心和关键。当前,我国公务员的诚信建设取得了一定的成绩,但是公务员的非诚信行政理念、行为时而浮出水面。究其根源,既有文化上的和法治上的原因,也有个人人文素质上的原因。解决公务员的诚信建设问题,提高政府效能,要从加强思想教育,完善公务员选拔、考核、评估制度,建立健全监督机制以及完善诚信信息监控机制等方面入手。     

基层协商民主的制度优势转化为治理效能的现实路径

我国悠久的协商思想为基层协商民主奠定了政治文化之基,而新时代则赋予了基层协商民主以新的内涵和实质。基层协商民主的演进发展之路,不断凸显出基层协商民主的制度优势。基层协商民主是实现党的领导的重要方式,是实现我国社会主义民主政治的独特形式,是推进基层社会治理现代化的重要力量,体现出我国国家制度和国家治理体系的显著优势。把基层协商民主制度优势转化为治理效能的现实路径有:坚持党对基层协商民主的领导,更好发挥基层协商民主的制度优势;加强基层协商民主制度建设,强化基层协商民主制度执行力;加强基层协商民主制度自信宣传教育,培养人们积极参与基层协商的意识;建设高素质基层协商人才队伍,为把基层协商民主制度优势转化为治理效能提供人才支撑。     

牛病毒性腹泻弱毒活疫苗的安全性和免疫保护效果研究

为评价牛病毒性腹泻病毒弱毒株的安全性及其免疫保护效果,将致细胞病变型牛病毒性腹泻病毒(BVDV)驯化培养,接种MDBK细胞,优化病毒增殖条件,并将其免疫牛,评价其安全性及免疫保护效果。结果显示,优化后的病毒效价可达107.5TCID50/mL。动物试验结果显示,1月龄牛接种该弱毒株后,体温正常,白细胞数量没有下降,无任何临床异常表现。免疫牛用BVDV强毒株进行攻毒;结果表明,免疫保护效果良好。表明该毒株可以作为弱毒活疫苗研究的候选毒株。     

从蚁族透视公民的平等权与自由 权简

蚁族引起了社会广泛的关注,却在理论界遇冷。很多人学者认为蚁族是自身缺陷造成的,不是第四大弱势群体,这一观点值得商榷。公民的平等权与自由权没有得到切实的保障,导致现实中出现了太多的不平等和不自由,才是蚁族存在的根本原因。所以,蚁族属于第四大弱势群体,需要通过完善立法来保障其平等与自由权。     

大众文学与日本“近代”“国民”

日本大众文学是日本近代民族国家确立过程中的有机组成部分。日本近代大众文学可分为两个时期:第一时期,大正末年到昭和十年(1935),作家多将时代背景设置在幕府末期至明治初期,实质是通过文学的方式对近代民族国家的大日本帝国的历史的再发现;第二时期,昭和十年至1945年战败,作家大多表达了作为大日本帝国国民一员的自豪感和归属感,体现了日本知识阶层的国民化,这一时期的《宫本武藏》更被认为是日本国民自我的确认之作。然而,从战时的《宫本武藏》到2010年时代小说《天地明察》的畅销,我们仍能透视出内在的历史连续性。