Durrant Pate/Contributor

The Joint Select Committee of Jamaica’s Parliament, charged with the responsibility of reviewing the Integrity Commission (IG) investigation reports, wants the anti-corruption body to make regular appearances before it. 

In its report to Parliament, the committee made up of Members of Parliament and Senators from both sides of the political aisle, also made certain recommendations to advance the work of the IC, which examines the statutory declarations from parliamentarians and high public officials. 

According to the committee, “the members are unanimous in the view that the commissioners (IG) should appear before the committee from time to time to discuss broader policy issues and to give an account of the activities of the commission. Your committee is of the view that the matter of who assesses the declarations of the staff of the Commission should be given priority attention.”

Joint Select Committee recommendations 

Putting forward its recommendation regarding referral for prosecution, the committee reported, “The members are of the opinion that where a declarant has been referred for prosecution, but a decision is taken not to prosecute, the reasons for such decision should be included in the report to Parliament. The view was expressed by Members that this would protect the commission from public perception that there is arbitrariness and bias in making such decisions. Your committee requested that updates on the final outcomes of investigations be submitted to Parliament.” 

Additionally, the committee in its five-page report to parliament posited it is critical that once public officials have been discharged of their obligations, their declarations should be certified, and that information should be disseminated. 

The committee sought to determine how the Integrity Commission would address cases where information was requested from declarants, but it was not within the declarant’s power to provide same, and therefore it has to be sought from a third party. 

The committee stated, “Officials from the commission advised that sufficient time was usually given for information to be provided, and where necessary, an extension would be granted. During the deliberations, your committee indicated its commitment to providing oversight to the Integrity Commission.” 

Reports examined by the Joint Select Committee

During its single meeting held earlier this year, the committee examined seven reports submitted to parliament for consideration. The seven reports are as follows:

• Report of Investigation concerning Allegations of Impropriety and Irregularities in relation to the unknown whereabouts of certain Government of Jamaica Motor Vehicles belonging to the Ministry of Transport and Mining;

• Investigation Report into concerns that Mr George Callaghan, former CEO of the Sugar Industry Authority, made false statements in the Statutory Declarations filed by him for the years 2018 to 2020; 

• Investigation Report into concerns that Mr Trevon Clarke, an employee of the Kingston & St. Andrew Municipal Corporation, failed to file his Statutory Declarations with the Integrity Commission for the Years 2019, 2020 and 2021, in breaches of the Integrity Commission Act; 

• Investigation Report into concerns that Mr. Charlton McFarlane, an employee of the Registrar General’s Department, failed to file his Statutory Declarations with the Integrity Commission for the Years, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, in breaches of the Integrity Commission Act; 3 

• Investigation Report into concerns that Mr. Dwayne Vaz, a former Member of Parliament, failed to provide information requested by the Commission in respect of his Statutory Declaration for the Year 2019;

• Investigation Report into concerns that Mr. Oral Reid, an employee of the Kingston & St. Andrew Municipal Corporation, failed to file his Statutory Declarations with the Integrity Commission for the Years, 2019, 2020 and 2021, in breaches of the Integrity Commission Act; and 

• Investigation Report into concerns that Ms Ava Williams, Manager, Jamaica Customs Agency failed to file her Statutory Declarations with the Integrity Commission for the Years 2018 1st 2019. 

Having considered the above-mentioned reports, the committee indicated its support of the recommendations of the Integrity Commission with respect to each investigation.