Press Statement
Madam Justice Donna Newton (Ret.) has been sworn in as the Freedom of Information Commissioner, marking an important milestone in the continued implementation of The Bahamas’ Freedom of Information framework.
Justice Newton brings to the office extensive experience in journalism, law and the Judiciary. She was among the first graduates of the College of The Bahamas, now the University of The Bahamas, earning an Associate of Arts Degree in Journalism in 1977. She subsequently obtained a Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication from the London School of Journalism in
1979, and worked as a journalist with The Tribune and The Nassau Guardian.
She later obtained an LLB Degree from the University of West London and was called to The Bahamas Bar in 1988. Justice Newton practiced with Adderley Grimes and Co. and Quant Newton and Co. before joining the Office of the Judiciary as Assistant Registrar in 1995. She subsequently served as Deputy Registrar of the Supreme Court, Deputy Registrar of the Court of Appeal and Registrar of the Supreme Court. Justice Newton was appointed a Justice of the
Supreme Court in February 2017 and confirmed in 2018. During her judicial tenure, she was assigned to the Family Court and also heard a variety of civil matters, including commercial cases. She retired as a Justice in February 2025.
She has also served for more than two decades as an Associate Tutor in Civil Procedure and Practice at the Eugene Dupuch Law School.
This appointment comes as The Bahamas advances the practical implementation of its Freedom of Information framework through The Freedom of Information Act, 2017 which establishes a general right of access to records held by public authorities, subject to exemptions provided by law.
The establishment of the Commissioner’s office provides an important mechanism for the administration and oversight of the Freedom of Information framework, including the review of decisions concerning access to information. For members of the public, the framework provides
a formal process through which information held by public authorities may be requested, while also recognizing the need to protect information that is exempt from disclosure under the law.
The implementation of Freedom of Information represents an important step in strengthening transparency, accountability and public access to information in The Bahamas. It provides the foundation for a more structured relationship between public authorities and the people they serve, while promoting informed participation in public life.
The Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Legal Affairs congratulates Madam Justice Donna Newton (Ret.) on her appointment and welcomes her to the Office of Freedom of Information Commissioner.
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