Integrity Commission responds to clamour for action over Hayles matter

The Integrity Commission has responded to the clamour for action in relation a shelved 2017 report involving former Hanover Western Member of Parliament Ian Hayles.

The report was prepared by the Office of the Contractor General (OCG) following allegations of conflict of interest, and impropriety in the construction of buildings without the approval of the Hanover Municipal Corporation.

The document was submitted to the Parliament on February 13, 2017 but was blocked from being tabled after Hayles obtained court injunction restricting Gordon House from making it public pending the outcome of an application for a judicial review.

Since that time, the Office of the Contractor General has been subsumed into the Integrity Commission.

On Wednesday, The Gleaner reported that the Hayles matter had fallen off the Supreme Court list and no subsequent effort had been made to ensure that it is restored and heard.

READ: Pressure mounts for action on shelved Hayles OCG report

But in a statement Thursday, the Integrity Commission said it has been in dialogue with Supreme Court Registrar for the hearing of the matter.

The Commission said it has communicated to the Registrar of the Supreme Court that it had no objection to the matter starting afresh before a new judge.

The hearing had started before Justice N. Simmons on May 11, 2017 but was adjourned on July 27, 2017 on an application by Hayles' attorney following the promotion of the judge to the Appeal Court.

The elevation of Justice Simmons meant she was no longer available to continue the matter.

“The Commission, notwithstanding the fact that the application for Judicial Review is not its application, but in order to meet its statutory obligation to the public and recognising that an injunction is in place, has taken several steps, to include a formal application on the 17th of August , 2018 for a date for a full hearing to be set,” said a spokesperson for the Commission in a statement today.

The Commission further said up to May 13, this year, it wrote to the Registrar urging that the hearing proceed.

“The Commission will continue to communicate with the Registrar of the Supreme Court who possesses the authority to list the matter involving Mr Hayles' application for Judicial Review to be heard,” the spokesperson said in the statement.

Hayles has insisted that the OCG report made false accusations which are unable to stand up to scrutiny and in his view, amounted to “nothing but a witch hunt”.

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