OPC disbands Communication and Information Unit
The Office of President and Cabinet (OPC) has directed that the Ministry of Information, Tourism and Civic Education should disband with immediate effect Government Coordination Information Unit (GCIU) created to coordinate information for all government ministries and departments.
According to a memo from OPC, the unit was running without a mandate.
Director of Information at the Ministry of Information, Gerald Viola, confirmed to Weekend Nation that the unit lacked direction.
“All we want is to bring sanity to the department as we would like to be efficient. The unit was operating like an island without support,” said Viola.
He added that the unit’s functions will be handled by other departments within the ministry and that information officers who were working in the unit are expected to be redeployed to various government ministries and departments
The GCIU was established in accordance with requirements of the Access to Information policy.
The unit was first known as Central Office of Information Coordination but was changed in 2012 to GCIU to be responsible for strategic government information and communication services.
The department had over 12 members of staff.
