The High Court has ruled that the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) must disclose the names of all persons and entities paid legal, consultancy, or other fees in connection with the commission of enquiry (CoE) into the Paria diving tragedy.

In a judgment delivered on October 14, Justice Joan Charles declared that the refusal of the permanent secretary to the Prime Minister to release the names under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) was unlawful and in breach of the right of access to information. The court granted activist Marsha Walker a declaration of entitlement and issued an order of mandamus compelling the OPM to release the names within seven days.

Walker, represented by Senior Counsel Anand Ramlogan, argued that transparency and accountability demanded disclosure of how public funds were spent during the commission’s work. Her FOIA request, made April 24, 2023, was denied on grounds that the information constituted “personal information” under Section 30(1) of the Act and that disclosure could expose payees to criminal targeting.