P.J. Patterson - FILE PHOTO
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Former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson has described attacks against the Integrity Commission as "deplorable" and "dangerous."
Mr. Patterson says it is outrageous that Justice Minister Delroy Chuck publicly advised some of his fellow lawmakers that they do not need to divulge the salaries of their spouses or children to the anti-corruption body whenever it requests the information.
Mr Chuck has since said his comments were misinterpreted.
But Mr Patterson, addressing a symposium, titled "Learning from History", in St. James on Thursday, said such a position would make a mockery of the law because, instead of bribe or undue enrichment going into the Representative's account, they could simply divert it to spouses, children, siblings or parents.
Mr. Patterson emphasized that the Integrity Commission must be able to follow the trail wherever it may lead.
The seven-year terms for two commissioners – Chairman Justice Seymour Panton and Eric Crawford – will end this month.
While saying he would not delve into current cases and allegations of corruption, some of which are in the public domain and before the courts, stressed that he made his returns public as Prime Minister, even though it was not a legal requirement at the time.
Watchdog group National Integrity Action has suggested that Prime Minister Andrew Holness make public his 2021 and 2022 statutory declarations to combat misinformation, disinformation, fake news or alternative facts that may be circulating concerning why they have not been certified by the Integrity Commission.
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