Reprint from 2007
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - IN 1995 Denzil Douglas, then in Opposition, campaigned strongly for the introduction of Integrity Legislation. It was a promise made in Labour’s 1995 Manifesto.
In 1996, the new Labour Government's ‘brooms’, in a bold sweep, boldly introduced the legislation for its first reading. So often these days, we see bills having three readings in one day. This, however, was not the case of the Integrity Bill. Since its first reading in 1996, Integrity legislation, like Sharron of Israel, appears to have gone into a coma and no one knows whether recovery is possible.
An attempt to revive it took place at a recent town hall meeting when, after being questioned about its delay, the former Attorney General limply explained that the Commonwealth wanted to widen the legislation so that it could embrace top civil servants - hence the delay.
This time around, when questioned on Inside the News on Saturday (April 2007), the Prime Minister stated that the top civil servants were objecting to this and….he could not go against the people…. So apparently his hands were tied.
But all who listened to Inside the News on WinnFm on that Saturday recognized that these were mere stalling tactics. And from his reaction to Mr. Blanchette’s questions, they realized how touchy an issue the declaration of his assets is to him.
The questions asked by Mr. Blanchette – 'How many properties do you possess? How much do you have on your bank account?' …. are the very questions the Prime Minister will have to answer if the Integrity Bill were passed... and represent the core questions related to transparency in public life.
Why then did the Prime Minister see it fit to shout: “Blanchette is FORWARD to ask such questions?” When he is asked to fill out the Integrity form bearing those questions will he run a line through the page and write FORWARD across it? Or will he lie like Panday in Trinidad did and claim he forgot about the million and a half he had on a London bank? Imagine forgetting you had a million and half dollars stashed somewhere?
Integrity legislation is one of the checks used by Governments of Integrity to ensure that politicians do not use the people’s money to feather their nests. So declarations of assets are made prior to taking up office and after demitting office.
The investments made during office ought not to exceed what is possible from the salary made while in office. The Prime Minister, who declared himself as intelligent during the programme ought to realize this and ought not to jump into an offensive and defensive stance on being questioned thus.
Asking Dr. Warner whether he had declared his assets and calling Mr. Blanchette ‘forward’ conjures up two Shakespeare quotes and they are: “Methinks thou dost protest too much” and “Mind your speech a little lest you should mar your fortunes.”
Integrity, transparency and accountability are the hallmarks of good governance in a democracy.
