Opposition to meet Integrity Commission

Opposition politicians are due to meet members of the Integrity Commission to clear up any queries about the Prescribed Form and Regulations by which public officials must declare their assets/interests under the Integrity in Public Life Act 2000. The meeting takes place tomorrow morning at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition at Charles Street, Port-of-Spain. An Opposition source said invitations had been sent to UNC politicians such as Members of Parliament, Senators, councillors in local government, and aldermen. He said there was a huge difference in the questions asked under the 2000 Integrity Act and its predecessor 1987 Integrity Act. “It’s chalk and cheese,” he remarked as he justified why clarification about the forms was being sought.

Also speaking to Newsday, Opposition MP Subhas Panday explained the need for clarification. Many technicalities need to be cleared up, he said. He said, for example, that one question asked a declarant to estimate the value of any owned motor vehicle, but it was unclear whether this was the taxable value of the current market value. The Integrity Commission yesterday issued a statement confirming that the deadline for public officials to file their declaration forms for their assets held in 2003 still stands at August 15. “Persons who were in public office as at December 12, 2003 and continued in office for any period thereafter are required to file by August 15, 2004. For persons who became persons in public life on or after December 12, 2003, the deadline is three months from the date of such appointment or August 15, 2003, whichever is the later date.”

Forms are available from The Registrar, Integrity Commision, Fourth Floor, UTC Building, 82 Independence Square, Port-of-Spain, and must be returned to that address. The Commission warned: “Failure to file declarations under the Integrity in Public Life Act 2000 could result in a fine of $250,000 and ten years imprisonment.” Recent reports are that Opposition MP for Fyzabad, Chandresh Sharma, has sought judicial review of the Commission’s rescission of its initial announcement that public officials should declare that assets held not just in 2003, but also in the year 2002. Meanwhile, after the resignation of former commissioner retired Justice Jean Permanand to head the Law Reform Commission, retired Justice Ralph Narine has been appointed as the fifth member of the Integrity Commission. The appointment by President George Maxwell Richards took effect from 25 June.