Bowen Threatens Legal Action to Force Disclosure of Government Records
Opposition MP Sherfield Bowen on Friday warned that he is prepared to take the government to court to force the release of public information, saying repeated refusals by state entities have left him with no other option.
Speaking during the 2026 Budget Debate, Bowen said his concerns were first triggered by what he described as a vehicle-registration controversy, after he sought information from the Transport Board about government-owned vehicles.
Bowen told Parliament he asked what he described as a “simple question” — how many vehicles owned by the government are registered with the Transport Board — but was informed that the information could not be provided.
“I don’t think we can give you that information,” Bowen said he was told.
He said the refusal raised serious concerns about transparency and accountability, particularly where public assets and public funds are involved. Bowen argued that elected representatives should not be blocked from accessing basic records related to government property.
Bowen said the Transport Board matter was not an isolated case. He told lawmakers that he has repeatedly requested financial and administrative data from government record-holding entities without success.
He referred specifically to Social Security, saying that several years ago he was able to obtain data from the institution and use it to analyse government finances. However, he said that since then, requests for updated information have gone unanswered.
“Ever since I did that, no matter how many times I request the data, not even an answer,” Bowen said.
Because of the continued lack of cooperation, Bowen said he would now pursue legal remedies. He told Parliament he intends to seek writs of mandamus, court orders that compel public officials to perform their legal duties.
“I will have to resort to the courts,” Bowen said, adding that he plans to seek legal orders against the Transport Board and against what he described as the keeper and custodian of the government records, to compel the release of information to the public.
Bowen said the issue goes beyond politics, arguing that transparency is fundamental to democratic governance. He said public institutions have a duty to provide information, particularly when it relates to state-owned assets, public spending and national finances.
