Public officers who are legally required to submit declaration forms to the Integrity Commission must submit all outstanding forms by March 25 or face the possibility of legal action, according to a recent notice in the newspaper.
According to the notice, “All public officers who are required by law to submit their outstanding declaration forms from 1997 to 2010 to the Office of the Integrity Commission are hereby notified that the submission date is on or before 25th March, 2011. Failure to submit declarations can result in legal action being taken against that person (s) as specified in the Integrity Commission Act No.20 of 1997.”
Persons requesting further information are asked to contact the Commission on the numbers 227-7688, 226-0142 or to visit the office located at 94 Carmichael Street, North Cummingsburg. Georgetown.
The government and the opposition parties have been at loggerheads over the constitutionality of the body. Last April, the government withdrew a motion in the National Assembly that sought to have Members of Parliament (MPs) make annual declarations of income to the commission or face disciplinary action, after Speaker Ralph Ramkarran ruled that it could not be allowed because of a pending court matter.
In May 2005, Opposition Leader Robert Corbin took legal action to nullify the appointment of the chairman and members of the commission who were appointed by President Bharrat Jagdeo in 2004. Corbin’s suit was on the grounds that he had not been consulted, as was constitutionally required. A ruling is yet to be made in the matter.
When the motion first came up in the House last year, AFC Leader Raphael Trotman tried to ascertain from Prime Minister Samuel Hinds who was the Chairman of the commission. The Prime Minister informed the House that there was no Chairman since the resignation of Bishop Randolph George some years ago. He said that though the other three members of the Commission – Fazeel Ferouz, Savitri Sukhai and Nigel Hazel – have been meeting. The three commissioners had been sworn in by President Bharrat Jagdeo in 2009. Dr James Rose had been nominated by the government to be Chairman but he subsequently withdrew his name.
Consultations between the President and Corbin on the issue began after the Opposition Leader rejected an ultimatum issued by the President to have MPs submit statements of their income and assets to the commission or face the possibility of criminal charges. While issuing the ultimatum, the President also said he would urge the commission to publish the names of defaulting MPs in the national newspapers. In rejecting the ultimatum, Corbin questioned the legality of the commission.
The new consultations came to a halt after Corbin became ill and had to be rushed overseas for treatment.
Last year, when the President was asked about a Chairman for the Commission, he said that there were several potential candidates. Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon subsequently said that the government will be moving to resuscitate talks on the matter. However, there has been no indication whether these talks have formally resumed.
