Deadline set for politicians, public officers to declare assets

Aug 15, 2013 News

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Officials in public offices, including Ministers and Parliamentarians, have until August 23rd to declare their assets for this year to the Integrity Commission.
According to a notice of the Office of the Integrity Commission published yesterday in the Kaieteur News, public officers who have not yet submitted declaration forms for the period 1997-2012 have to do so as soon as possible.
Kaieteur News has since learnt that quite a number of politicians and senior government officials have not being complying.
The Integrity Commission has taken more significance in recent years as the spotlight of corruption and transparency continues to take centre stage.
Many countries have moved to establish oversight bodies like the Integrity Commission as part of the measures to tackle corruption but despite laws being assented to since 1997, there have been criticisms that the Commission continues to remain toothless.
Under the laws, public officers also include the President, Permanent Secretaries, Director of Public Prosecutions, Auditor General, Commissioner of Police, the Army Chief, Heads of the Services Commissions, Foreign Affairs officials, Judges and Magistrates and Department Heads.
Also required to the submit declaration forms of their earnings and of gifts received are Regional Executive Officers, the Chief Elections Officer, Mayors, Chairpersons and Chief Executive Officers of state companies, Registrars of Lands and the Commissioner of Guyana Revenue Authority, along with Presidential Advisors, and Heads of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission and the Guyana Forestry Commission.
The idea behind the declarations is to ensure that no official has suddenly acquired large amount of cash or property without proper justification.
Political wrangling between the administration and the Opposition over the makeup of the Commission has been blamed for the body not carrying out its mandate. There just has not been any agreement on the name of the Chairman.
In addition, there have been criticisms on whether the Commission itself would have the capacity to investigate the truthfulness of the declarations, with just a handful of staffers at its disposal.
Earlier this year, Leader of the Alliance For Change, Khemraj Ramjattan, laid the blame squarely at the feet of President Donald Ramotar for not ensuring that the situation is rectified.
Presidential Advisor, Gail Teixeira is also on record as saying that the disagreements between political parties have been the major stumbling block.
In effect, it was agreed that the oversight body has been reduced to operating as a mere collection agency for the declarations which are left to gather dust.
The notice yesterday called for defaulters to submit their outstanding declarations for the period starting 1997, an admission that there may have some degree of non-compliance.
The US 2012 Human Rights Report had highlighted Government’s apparent ineffectiveness in implementing laws that provide for criminal penalties for corruption by public officials. It zeroed in on the fact that public officials are subject to financial disclosure laws and are required to submit information about personal assets to the Integrity Commission.
On June 14, 2012 the National Assembly approved a motion for Members of Parliament to comply with the Integrity Commission Act. Failure to comply would have resulted in names of the defaulting Parliamentarians being published in the local press and the Official Gazette.
The Integrity Commission Act of 1997 provided for the establishment of the Integrity Commission and make provisions for the purpose of securing the integrity of persons in public life. The act also provides for the appointment of a Chairman to head the Commission, no less than two and not more than four other members of the Commission, a Secretary to oversee the day to day work of the Commission and other officers for the proper performance of the Commission.
The Chairman and other members are appointed by the President after consultation with the Opposition Leader.
The Commission is not subject to the direction or control of any other person or authority. The Commission has the authority to regulate its own procedure and may make rules for that purpose.
Public officers are mandated to disclose their financial assets and liabilities on or before June 30, each year. When a public officer ceases to be a person in public life, a declaration of assets and liabilities have to be filed within 30 days from the date that the individual ceases to be a person in public life.
The Commission has its office at 94 Carmichael Street, Georgetown.

 

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