…defends publishing names, says action within legal framework of body

THE publication of names of public officials who have not filed declarations with the Integrity Commission is done within the legal mandate of the body.

This is according to Chairman of the commission, Former Magistrate Kumar Doraisami. The chairman was responding to questions regarding the publication of the names of several former Members of Parliament, including People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Presidential Candidate, Irfaan Ali, and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, among former Opposition MPs, as well as government officials who have been delinquent in their declarations for the period July 2017-June 2018.

Doraisami said that the commission was complying with Sections 18 and 19 of the Integrity Commission Act, adding that on Saturday, the body will publish the information in the Official Gazette. Section 18 of the Act states-“The Commission or the President, as the case may be, may, in writing, request a declarant to furnish such further particulars relating to his financial affairs as may be considered necessary for the purposes of section 17 (b) and the declarant shall comply with the request within the time specified therefor by the Commission or the President, as the case may be.”

If the official fails to comply, the commission will take the necessary step which is quoted in Section 19 of the Act. That Act states that –“Where a person who is required to do so fails to file a declaration in accordance with this Act or to furnish particulars under section 18, the Commission or the President, as the case may be, shall publish the fact in the Gazette and in a daily newspaper.”

PPP candidates, Anil Nandlall, Dr. Frank Anthony, Priya Manickchand, Nigel Dharamlall, Harry Gill, Pauline Sukhai and Clement Rohee, are among the delinquents on the list. The names of several government officials, including Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally; Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson; Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon and Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence also appeared on the list.

Rohee subsequently noted on his Facebook account that he has been complying with the commission regarding his declarations. However, Nandlall in a Facebook post took aim at the newspaper report. He said that he was instructed by Jagdeo and Ali to take legal action against this newspaper over the news item published on Sunday. Doraisami, when informed about the intended action of Nandlall, noted that “he probably didn’t read the newspaper.”

Two weekends ago, the names of several government officials, who did not file or complete their declarations with the Integrity Commission, appeared in the Official Gazette. The move took prominence in sections of the media and several officials of the Opposition PPP, including Manickchand, played-up the issue on social media. Doraisami told the Guyana Chronicle last weekend that persons are of the belief that the body is “politicking” regarding the publication of the names the weekend before.

However, he noted last December a decision was made not to publish the names of delinquent officials until January this year, since the body wanted to exhaust its ability to ensure the officials filed their declarations. Unfortunately, the chairman said, most of those persons whose names were published two weekends ago are persons who hold positions within the government.

“We don’t work based on the whims and fancies of people out there, we comply with the Act, it is just unfortunate that we have an elections next month,” Doraisami said. He said that some persons have taken the necessary steps to file their declarations since the publication of their names.