Integrity forms take effect

Government may be faced with a spate of resignations from chairmen and Board members of State enterprises as the Integrity in Public Life declaration forms take effect.

Buckling under Opposition and public pressure, Government yesterday agreed to the immediate implementation of the declaration forms required by the Integrity in Public Life Act which would require all public officers to immediately file a declaration of income, assets and liabilities with the Integrity Commission. Information reaching Newsday indicated that the Joint Select Committee established by Parliament to consider the forms, signed off yesterday, after resolving that the forms should be brought immediately to Parliament for affirmative resolution. The forms will be tabled in the Senate tomorrow and the House of Representatives on Friday.

The Opposition camp, which had been preparing a minority report, was yesterday celebrating what it regarded as a “majority victory.”  One month ago, the Government referred the forms to the JLC stating that it had reservations about the wide net of the law. But after on-and-off deliberations lasting one month, the  Committee, which has a majority of Government members caved in to Opposition demands and agreed to go straight ahead with the forms in their original state, sources stated. The Committee further determined that whatever concerns the Government members had over the legislation, (those concerns) should not impact on the process by which the declaration forms are approved and should not delay the forms from being presented for parliamentary approval.

However, within the Government camp yesterday, was entirely different as the new Attorney General John Jeremie was being patted on the back for having achieved consensus so early in his term and for giving effect to the expressed will of the Parliament. Government sources scoffed at the view that it had capitulated to the Opposition’s demands by agreeing to bring the forms without amendment. One official stated that Government believed that having regard to the fact that it had campaigned on a platform of integrity, it needed to be faithful to its pre-election pledges. However, the official conceded that the Government was now waiting with some trepidation on the reaction to the declaration forms. One of the major reservations Government had about implementing the declaration forms had to do with the fear it had, and the risk that exists, that many persons on State boards would rather resign than submit to giving painstaking details about their private fortunes and personal finances.

The declaration forms require all those who fall under the ambit of the Integrity Act, to give information on the income, assets and liabilities of themselves, their spouses and dependents, including aged relatives. It requires public officers to state all gifts their receive, even in a private capacity. They are also obligated to provide information on trusts — blind or otherwise — which they have established for themselves, spouses or children. The prime minister, ministers, and all members of Parliament, including Independent and Opposition members, judges, members of boards, local government representatives, chairmen and members of the Tobago House of Assembly fall under the Integrity in Public Life Act.

The JSC also agreed that the Integrity Act be amended to make it absolutely clear that all persons would now have to file their declarations from 2000 to the present. (Since 2000 no one has filed any declaration because the forms were not approved by Parliament). The Committee’s members were the Attorney General, Colm Imbert, Camille Robinson-Regis, Hedwidge Bereaux, Danny Montano, Martin Joseph, Subhas Panday, Wade Mark, Gillian Lucky and Dana Seetahal. This Committee was mandated to report back to the Parliament on or before December 1. The Integrity in Public Life Act was passed under the UNC administration. But the Parliament had been dissolved before the new declaration forms to give effect to the legislation could be approved. Since then, the Government has taken much flak for its tardiness in bringing the forms to Parliament for approval.