Verbal threats, ground-level pay keep skilled job seekers away – IC chairman

Verbal attacks against the Integrity Commission (IC) from some members of the political directorate as well as the starting remuneration for new recruits who have critical skills to offer to the anti-corruption body are factors that are being blamed for deterring some job seekers from accepting employment at the entity.

Retired Justice Seymour Panton, chairman of the IC, who made the disclosure on Tuesday night, said the commission has been short-staffed in several areas, particularly in its investigation division.

Speaking on Radio Jamaica’s ‘Balancing Justice’ programme, hosted by attorney-at-law Andre Earle, King’s Counsel, Panton claimed that the verbal attacks on the commission by politicians were having a negative impact on employees of the entity as well as prospective recruits.

He argued that while parliamentarians spoke about the amount of money being spent on the IC, persons with experience who applied for vacant posts at the anti-corruption body turned down job offers when they discovered that they would be paid at the bottom of the scale.

The IC head said that despite appeals to the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service for experienced prospective employees to be placed at a certain point on the salary scale, the ministry refused to grant approval.

When contacted for comment yesterday, Financial Secretary Darlene Morrison said she could not comment at the time as she was going into a meeting with the portfolio minister.

“When we advertise certain positions and persons apply, and the selection process is taking place … there is a salary scale, and we think that the individual ought to be placed at a certain point in the scale, [but] the Ministry of Finance says no. The sum is voted for, but the Ministry of Finance says, ‘No, you must start everybody at the bottom’,” Panton said.

Asked how the staff at the IC was responding to attacks from parliamentarians, Panton said employees were “definitely not pleased”, and in some instances, were fearful.

“In many instances, the comments in Parliament result in utterances, writings in the anti-social media and threats.”

‘Following the law’

Panton said the IC has only been carrying out the mandate given to it through the 2017 Integrity Commission Act, which was passed by Jamaican lawmakers.

“To hear parliamentarians speaking about partisanship, and that sort of thing, it’s really disappointing,” he said.

“Stop abusing the officers of the Integrity Commission. They are not doing anything other than following the law,” he added.

Panton accused a lawmaker of circulating photographs of IC officials, claiming that they are trying to bring down the Government.

There was a moment of silence when Panton was asked if he had been subject to personal threats. When he broke his silence, he said: “I would want to pass that for the time being.”

Making it clear that the task being carried out by workers at the IC was based on legislation approved by Parliament, Panton said the entity was not targeting anyone.

“Declarations are filed, and the law requires that they be examined, and where there are questions, that they be answered.”

He noted that everything the anti-corruption body was doing in relation to its probes was fact-based.

“We are not speculating, and we are not trying to harm anybody. We are not being partisan,” he insisted.

Commenting on the role of the Corruption Prevention Division of the IC, Panton said it was responsible for providing critical information to public servants on the commission’s statutory mandates, enforcement functions, and the country’s anti-corruption laws.

He said the division has been able to sensitise some 9,000 public sector workers about good governance and integrity-related issues.

Panton noted that the IC had invited parliamentarians to sign codes of conduct, but to date, many had yet to ink the document.

In terms of those lawmakers who had not yet signed the code of conduct, Panton said the IC could not compel them to do so.

Asked if he was disappointed with those who had not signed the code, the IC chairman said, “We would like people to sign because we are trying to embrace principles that are being embraced by those countries that are almost corrupt-free.”

edmond.campbell@gleanerjm.com