Second District representative, Honourable Melvin M. Turnbull, called for “proper documentation” for the responsibilities of the Department of Information and Public Relations (GIS), according to the Report on the Deliberations of the Standing Finance Committee.
During one of the Standing Finance Deliberations, held between November 12th and December 3rd, 2021, Hon. Turnbull asked the Director of Communications, Dr. Arliene T. Penn, to explain “the role of the GIS Department in regards to who was responsible to cover the public relations responsibilities of the Government Ministers, Backbenchers and the Opposition.”
According to the report, Dr. Penn replied that it was her understanding that she, as the Director of Communications, is “responsible for the public relations of the Ministers of Government because there are different branches of government.” She added that GIS, which she oversees, supports “the ministries, departments and to the Governor based on Section 60 of the Constitution.”
Dr. Penn also noted that, throughout the history of the Department, “an officer has always been placed within the Ministries and this officer would be responsible to filter information through to GIS.”
Following this response, Hon. Turnbull stated that he “felt that the time has come where the proper documentation” is needed to articulate the responsibilities of GIS, which was founded in the early 1980s.
Dr. Penn affirmed, in closing, that the Department is looking “forward to clarity from the Government in terms of how GIS could and should be used as this would help the Department to ascertain what information should be dispersed and from whom information is to be dispersed.”
The report also states that the Director hoped that this clarity could be provided soon. Dr. Penn joined the public service in 2004 as an Assistant Information Officer at GIS, and was eventually appointed Director of Communications in 2011. She left her Director post in 2018, and resumed the role again in 2019.
According to the Government website, GIS serves as the link between the public and Government Information. Some current responsibilities of the Department include but are not limited to: managing the Government Facebook page, facilitating press conferences and other LIVE events, creating digital and print graphics, writing and issuing press releases and photography.