IC RULING SHIFT

The Integrity Commission (IC) on Thursday departed from its custom of delivering investigative reports exclusively to the three main parliamentary leaders.

In addition to sending an investigation report and a ruling by the director of corruption prosecution directly to House Speaker Juliet Holness, Senate President Tom Tavares Finson, and House Clerk Coleen Lowe, the anti-corruption body also sent a copy to Deputy House Speaker Heroy Clarke.

The Gleaner reviewed at least eight press releases issued by the IC over the past year, and in each case – with the exception of September 11, 2023, and September 5, 2024 – copies of investigation reports were sent only to the House Speaker, Senate president and the clerk to the Houses of Parliament.

When the IC broke tradition a year ago, it submitted an investigation report and preliminary ruling to the then key parliamentary leaders as well as Holness, who was the then deputy speaker.

The report unveiled a historic decision from the IC, recommending that then-Speaker Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert face eight counts of corruption-related charges for alleged breaches of the Parliament (Integrity of Members) Act and the Integrity Commission Act.

The charges relate to a $6-million Mercedes-Benz that was omitted from her statutory declarations to the IC for the period from 2015 to 2021.

Dalrymple-Philibert resigned as Speaker and member of parliament for Trelawny Southern after increased pressure from members of civil society, the private sector, and the parliamentary Opposition for her to step aside.

The IC, on Thursday, also submitted a special report under Section 36(3) of the Integrity Commission Act, which it says is associated with the investigation report. That section of the act states that “the commission may, at any time, submit a report relating to any particular matter which, in the opinion of the commission, requires the special attention of the Parliament”.

The IC said its investigation report, indicative ruling, and special report were formally received and signed for at Parliament at 11:42 a.m. on Thursday.

The IC says it anticipates that its investigation report, “which was submitted pursuant to and in conformance with Section 54 of the Integrity Commission Act, together with the referenced indicative ruling, full ruling, and Section 36(3) special report, will be tabled in the Parliament as soon as possible”.

Section 54(4) of the Integrity Commission Act provides that “where the report [from the director of investigation] to the commission has a recommendation under Subsection (3), the commission shall submit it to Parliament for tabling ... .”

Traditionally, lawmakers return from their summer break in the third week of September.

edmond.campbell@gleanerjm.com

IC reports submitted to parliamentary leaders in the last 12 months

· September 11, 2023 – IC report of investigation sent to four parliamentary leaders (Speaker, president, deputy Speaker, clerk to the Houses)

· October 4, 2023 – IC report of investigation (Three leaders – Speaker, president, and clerk)

· November 22, 2023 – IC sent four reports of investigation and indicative rulings (Speaker, president, and clerk)

· December 12, 2023 – IC sent four reports of investigation (Speaker, president, and clerk)

· January 22, 2024 – Investigation report (Speaker, president, and clerk)

· April 16, 2024 – Five investigation reports with indicative rulings (Speaker, president and clerk)

· May 16, 2024 – Investigation report (Speaker, president, and clerk)

· June 26, 2024 – Annual Report (Speaker, president, and clerk)

· September 5, 2024 – Investigation report, indicative ruling, special report (Speaker, president, deputy Speaker, and clerk to the Houses)