JAMP concerned tabling of anticipated IC report could be delayed

By Kimone Witter    

 

Executive Director of Jamaica Accountability Meter Portal, Jeanette Calder, is expressing concern that the highly anticipated Integrity Commission report, submitted to Parliament last week for tabling, could be delayed as per the Speaker's ruling on the handling of Special Reports.

 

In November last year, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Juliet Holness, announced that annual and special reports by the Commission will go to the Integrity Commission Oversight Committee for deliberation first and then be tabled in Parliament, along with the committee's report.

 

Last Thursday, the Integrity Commission submitted an Investigation Report, Ruling and Special Report to Parliament for tabling.

 

There has been speculation that the report is in relation to the Prime Minister's statutory declarations.

 

The Commission further submitted two additional Investigation Reports to Parliament on September 9 for tabling.

 

In an interview with Radio Jamaica News on Tuesday, Ms. Calder said she expects that the Speaker's ruling will be upheld. 

 

"Well, I can't recall if the government had made a commitment to table it, and if the government, meaning the leader of the country indicated it would be, then I would expect it. If the prime minister did not indicate at the press conference he had, whether or not it would be tabled, then it is reasonable to believe that the Parliament will follow the instructions of the Speaker of the House," she reasoned. 

 

Ms. Calder said JAMP maintains its objection to the changes in the procedure for tabling reports sent by the Integrity Commission. 

 

"JAMP's positioned still is that we have gone counter to a practice that we have had for over 100 years, and not just Jamaica, but every single solitary Commonwealth country on the globe. We haven't been able to understand why a report, paid for by the people, should not be placed as it has always been, in the hands of our elected representatives first, as is the case with every report that is submitted to the Parliament of Jamaica. We cannot understand why one report from the Integrity Commission has been singled out" she complained.