Justice Minister Delroy Chuck
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Justice Minister Delroy Chuck and Bishop Dr. Alvin Bailey, President of the Jamaica Evangelical Alliance, and member of the Jamaica Umbrella Groups of Churches
By Kimone Witter
Justice Minister Delroy Chuck is not in support of the call by the Jamaica Umbrella Groups of Churches for all parliamentarians to sign the leadership Code of Conduct to which the Integrity Commission requested their signatures.
The appeal came as the group commented Thursday on the intense debate surrounding the Integrity Commission's investigation report on Prime Minister Andrew Holness' statutory declarations.
To date, government lawmakers have yet to sign the code, while their opposition counterparts have done so.
Mr. Chuck has declared that government members of the House of Representatives are signatories to other Codes of Conduct.
"As far as we're concerned, signing a code of conduct is neither here nor there when we have already committed to the integrity in public life," he insisted, citing documents members of the Cabinet signed on appointment.
What is important, the minister argued, is that "when there is corruption, it must be exposed. And don't send out information about people corrupt. If you think people corrupt, demonstrate it."
'Totally unacceptable'
In a subsequent response, President of the Jamaica Evangelical Alliance, and member of the Jamaica Umbrella Groups of Churches, Bishop Dr. Alvin Bailey said the justification by Mr. Chuck is "totally unacceptable".
He argued that the signing of these codes is part of the process to hold all politicians to the highest level of morality and integrity, as they try to conduct themselves in keeping with the codes they have signed.
The statement from the Jamaica Umbrella Groups of Churches expressed support for the legal process in train with the referral of the IC's findings to the Financial Investigations Division.
It also encouraged Parliament to ensure that the Integrity Commission is fully supported in its collaborative process with any other agency deemed necessary to assist it.
It further said Parliament should ensure its oversight of the Integrity Commission is characterised by international best practices and the highest standards of objectivity.
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