Clarify PM's 2017 statutory declaration, NIA urges Integrity Commission

There is a call for the Integrity Commission to shed some light on the status of Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ 2017 statutory declaration.

The call comes from the corruption watchdog group, National Integrity Action (NIA).

It comes a day after the commission gazetted its summary report of Holness’ 2018 statutory declaration.

The NIA welcomed publication of the prime minister’s 2018 statutory declaration, but raised issue with the 2017 declaration.

The annual report of the previous Integrity Commission, which was tabled in Parliament earlier this year, indicated Holness’ declaration for the 2017 calendar year had been “examined but not cleared”.

“We call on the commission to clarify the status of the prime minister’s 2017 statutory declaration”, the group said in a statement today.

The NIA also urged the commission, “in the interest of transparency”, to name the two parliamentarians who are the subject of new financial investigations.

“Anonymity on this matter is a step backwards as under previous annual reports of the Integrity Commission, now subsumed in the current body, MPs who were in breached were named in the document laid before Parliament”, the NIA statement said.

In addition, the watchdog group says the public needs to hear from the Integrity Commission what are the next steps for the Petrojam report, which it indicated in its annual report, was “completed and is being forwarded to the Director of Corruption Prosecution”.

“Openness on these matters is vital to the commission receiving the public support and trust necessary to effectively fulfill a principal object under section 3 of the law”, the NIA said.

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