KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaicans are being reminded that they have a legal right to know what personal information is held about them under the Data Protection Act and the accompanying Data Protection Regulations.

Director of complaints resolution and compliance in the Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC), Andree Holness, says while individuals may seek broad access to information held about them, the law provides a structured process for making such requests.

“The act, along with the Data Protection Regulations, 2024, prescribes a specific request form, form two, which clearly sets out the categories of information a data subject may request from a data controller,” she explained during a recent Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Get the Facts’ interview.

Holness noted that data subjects may request information on the type of personal data held, the purpose for which it is processed, and whether it is shared with third parties as part of that processing.

She further explained that sections six to eight of the Data Protection Act, together with part v and the second schedule, outline how and when access to personal data may be granted.

The director added that personal data goes beyond basic identifiers like names and dates of birth, extending to opinions and decisions made about individuals.

The office of the information commissioner continues to encourage public awareness and compliance with the Data Protection Act, emphasising that individuals and organisations have important roles to play in safeguarding personal information.

-JIS