Here is a more detailed paraphrasing of the text:'I am very concerned about the insidious abuse of the Data Protection Act by State officials to restrict the disclosure of potentially damning information in which there is strong and legitimate public interest,' he said at today's People's National Party (PNP) 86th annual conference in St Andrew.

The PNP president pointed to recent cases of Tax Administration Jamaica refusing to disclose two multimillion-dollar leases, claiming that to do so would breach the privacy law.

It later released the names of the parties in the lease, but there has been no update on its talks with the Office of the Information Commissioner, which contradicted its stance.

The Cannabis Licensing Authority and the Office of the Services Commissions have also invoked the Data Protection Act to block requests for information.

'There is no accountability for non-performance in this JLP [Jamaica Labour Party] Administration,' he said.

He also argued that the Government negligently allows critical boards and tribunals to grind to a halt because of failure to make appointments when the terms of the boards expire.

He pointed to the Early Childhood Commission, the Access to Information Appeals Tribunal, and the Public Service Commission.