Integrity forms in Parliament at last

THE LONG-AWAITED declaration of assets forms for the Integrity Commission (IC) will be laid in Parliament on October 6 (Budget Day) for the House’s approval.

According to the Order Paper for Monday’s sitting of Parliament, Attorney General Glenda Morean will lay the Integrity in Public Life (Furnishing of Information) Regulations 2003 and the Integrity in Public Life (Prescribed Forms) Regulations 2003. Morean has been under fire from the media and the UNC for not bringing the forms to Parliament for approval and attempting to replace the IC with an Anti-Corruption Commission.   Speaking in the Senate during debate on July 1,  the AG sparked off the entire controversy when she said: “One of the strategies is the new anti-corruption commission to be established as envisaged in the former Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill. It would be responsible for  leading the implementation of the three elements of the strategy and it would not only have a represssive role and that is important. The three elements of the strategy of fighting corruption are: enforcement of the laws against corruption; prevention of corruption from systems and procedures and prevention of corruption by public education and support and this third part is so important so that the people would be educated and would be aware of the pitfalls.”

Morean said another option being examined by Government “is that the IC could be restructured and re-engineered to be the country’s anti-corruption authority responsible for leading the implementation of the three elements  of the national strategy against corruption.” Both options were presented to Cabinet by British anti-corruption consultant Bertrand De Speville, who, with the assistance of the United Nations Development Programme (UN-DP), was engaged by the Government to advise on the development and implementation of the country’s national anti-corruption strategy. Morean was accused of trying to undermine the IC, with former AG Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj claiming that no declaration forms were approved because PNM Ministers had “cocoa in the sun” and the process whereby Parliament approves the forms was a simple one. The new forms make it mandatory for public officials, their spouses and dependent children to declare their assets.  The Commission can seize the assets of any State official not properly declared under the Integrity in Public Life Act 2000. In addition, the official can face a $250,000 fine and ten years imprisonment.

Government Ministers Franklyn Khan, Danny Montano and Diane Seukeran have said all Ministers and their spouses were ready to declare their assets and those of their immediate families to the IC. Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday brought the issue of public officials’ assets to the fore when he was charged with failure to declare an account at the National Westminster Bank in London in his name and that of his wife Oma for the period 1997 to 1999 (when he was Prime Minister). The matter will be heard in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates Court on October 20. On Wednesday, AG Morean said: “The forms have already been sent to the Parliament but that is subject to overhauling the overall picture.” The AG also disclosed that legislation to strengthen the IC’s ability to combat corruption will be laid in Parliament in January. Monday’s session of Parliament will also see the introduction of some new pieces of legislation such as the Family Proceedings (Amendment) Rules 2003, the Firearms (Ame-ndment) (No 2) Bill and the Occupational Safety and Health (No 2) Bill 2003. Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday told labour leaders on Thursday that the UNC would support the latter.