Integrity Commission pays courtesy Call on the Prime Minister
DPI, Guyana, Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Members of the Integrity Commission paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo at his office, this morning. Meeting the Prime Minister were Chairman, Kumar Doraisami, Pandit Rabindranauth Persaud, Rosemary Benjamin-Noble and Secretary, Ms. Amanda Jaisingh.
Prime Minister Nagamootoo congratulated the Commission’s members on their appointments. He said he is keen on the formation and operation of the body, “since the establishment of the commission has been long overdue.”
He urged the members to not only view their function as a receiving agency but also be cognisant of their responsibility as a prosecuting body for “Non-Disclosure” from public officials, who are required to do so.
The members of the Integrity Commission were sworn in by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Ministry of the Presidency on February 22, 2018.
Also attending today’s meeting was OPM Legal Advisor/Coordinator of Governance Office Tamara Khan and the Director of the Department of Public Information, Imran Khan.
In May of 2016, Prime Minister Nagamootoo commissioned a sub-committee to review and strengthen the Draft Code of Conduct for Ministers, Members of Parliament and Public Officers Holders. The Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman chaired this sub-committee.
Following this the Integrity Commission (Amendment of the Code of Conduct) Order 2017 was published in the official Gazette on July 27, 2017.
In 2015 the Government commissioned a review of the Integrity Commission Act by consultant Lance Carberry. Some of the recommendations emanating from this analysis included the enshrinement of the Commission in the Constitution (by constitutional amendment); Commissioners should decide the status of gifts received by Public Officers; there should be additional Parliamentary oversight by way of a high-level Integrity Commission Oversight Committee; and this committee should be chaired by the Speaker and also include the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the Minister of Finance, among others.
The 2015 Review was laid before Cabinet by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo on September 6, 2016 for careful evaluation.
By Gabreila Patram
Images courtesy of Jameel Mohammed