Reading Time: 6 minutes

Need to make an immediate apology to the prime minister and heads must roll

Does the Integrity Commission know what it is doing?

Does it even understand its mandate?

Earlier this week, it issued a report slamming Prime Minister Andrew Holness by accusing him of a conflict of interest in awarding his friend a contract a decade ago.

Then came the howls for the prime minister to step down. Plenty levelled the finger pointing to corruption at him and said this was symptomatic of leadership in Jamaica- widespread skullduggery and back-scratching.

While the Integrity Commission was quick to issue its “damning report”, hot on the heels of the Stocks and Securities Ltd (SSL) imbroglio, and thought it had the prime minister in its crosshairs – a big fish, it neglected to be equally strident in pointing out that the prime minister was exonerated and no charges would be made against him.

It omitted to do so, leading the Opposition to charge in and make calls for the prime minister to take a leave of absence until a fulsome investigation was conducted.

All the while it remained silent, standing by its report, fanning the flames, gleefully watching as Andrew Holness got nailed to the cross.

The Integrity Commission is not comprised of ingenues. The likes of Greg Christie, Wayne Powell, Eric Crawford, Seymour Panton, and Lloyd Hibbert should have vast experience and should have seen to it that this did not become a train wreck.

There is plenty of egg on all their faces and it will take a big towel to clean it off. Going after the prime minister in this haphazard manner and maligning his reputation in such a cavalier fashion calls for consequences – just like the SSL situation requires.

Why issue such a report which was already defanged and rendered innocuous? And to bring it to Parliament?

It looks like mischief making and reveals gross ineptitude.

Now the Integrity Commission is looking to roll back its folly with an infantile statement which reads: “There has been strict compliance with the law. Adverse comments in respect of the commission or its director of investigation are unwarranted and misconceived.

“The Integrity Commission wishes to assure the public that it takes its task seriously. It rejects any assertion that there has been a misstep in the proceedings. In all matters under the commission’s purview every effort is made to follow the provisions of the law strictly. The ruling of the director of corruption prosecution in a matter does not change the content of the report of the director of investigation. They are independent in their operations.”

Excuse me ? What was that?

This poor attempt at a backstroke doesn’t cut it.

Understandably so, there are calls for Greg Christie to stand down and for new commissioners to replace those complicit in this comedy of errors.

Did the commissioners not consider that they should proceed with extreme caution given that the accusations made against the Prime Minister were serious and would have ramifications? How could they blithely let that go unattended?

Now it looks like the Integrity Commission is confusing confidence with competence with this anodyne riposte.

“The citizens of Jamaica have a right to know the truth. And if the truth is that the processes of the Integrity Commission lack efficiency or competence then we must know, and consequences must follow, including but not limited to the resignation of whomever is responsible,” said the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica on the matter. Ain’t that the truth!

ULTIMATE FARCE

How can the Integrity Commission be revealed to have no integrity? It’s the ultimate farce and a price has to be paid for this lack of vision.

It was made clear earlier that there were insufficient grounds to go ahead with a prosecution against the prime minister but still the Integrity Commission looked to damage the prime minister’s reputation and while he was out of the country attending a CARICOM meeting.

This looks like back stabbing and not looking a man in the eye when you come for him – weak, weak, weak.

We are all quick to condemn the Government and politicians when they do something wrong or slip up – we must equally defend them with vigour when they are falsely accused and wrongly castigated.

One has to say Andrew Holness handled this with grace and statesman-like equanimity.

It is saddening to see the Integrity Commission is yet to show any contrition for its egregious blunder, instead it has sought to double down. The noose has to be taken off Andrew Holness’ neck and placed around his accuser’s – a twist of fate, you could say.

The inscrutable and sage Dr Horace Chang has declared that the Government has no faith in Greg Christie and one can see why. Many people and organisations share Dr Chang’s position.

Christie is in an untenable position and the buzzards are already circling.

“This unusual and bizarre treatment of the issue has been exacerbated by the executive director’s republication of material on Twitter maligning the official and posts by both the executive director and the Commission itself which curiously omitted any mention of the exoneration of the official.”

Government senators

Government senators issued a statement which sums up this sorry mess and it is hard not to be in agreement with them

It read, in part: “The unjust treatment of the recently tabled Integrity Commission report and belated publication of the related ruling has been presided over by its executive director. This unusual and bizarre treatment of the issue has been exacerbated by the executive director’s republication of material on Twitter maligning the official and posts by both the executive director and the Commission itself which curiously omitted any mention of the exoneration of the official.

“It is not an exaggeration to say that the entire Integrity Commission has been brought into public disrepute and subjected to ridicule as a result of the executive director’s management of the affairs of the Commission and his public deport on social media.”

Earlier this year, Professor Trevor Munroe, the principal director of National Integrity Action (NIA), called for Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Leader of the Opposition Mark Golding to sign the leadership code of conduct sent by the Integrity Commission.

The Integrity Commission does not now command the authority to be making demands. It will have to go away and earn confidence and that will take some time after this act of stupidity.

“At a time when leaders in all sectors are called on to set an example in words and deeds in raising declining standards of public behaviour further delay in our political leaders commitment to adhere to ethical behaviour is unacceptable,” said Munroe.

That cuts both ways Prof. You need to direct this at the Integrity Commission.

– Send feedback to [email protected]