The parliament of Dominica will be debating amendments to the Integrity of the Public Office (IPO) Act, Acting Prime Minister, Dr. Collin McIntyre has said.
He said on state-owned DBS Radio that there are problems with what he described as the “rigid nature” of the IPO which discourages qualified candidates from heading certain institutions.
“We have been facing a lot of difficulties,” McIntyre said. “We are very limited in our population and the suitability of candidates to head certain institutions. A lot of it is based on scrutiny of the IPO, when I am saying scrutiny, I am not talking about anything abnormal, I am just talking about people qualifying for it, people don’t want to serve on these boards and various other institutions because of the exposure of it.”
But the opposition United Workers Party (UWP) is expressing concerns over the proposed amendments to the Act. Political Leader of the party Lennox Linton said a public meeting on Thursday night that the Commission, which enforces the Act, is going to be reduced.
“They are cutting the Commission down from seven to three members,” he stated. “They have taken the professional bodies, so no longer will there be any representation from the accounting profession or any representation from the legal profession on the Commission.”
He went on to say that the amendments will be reducing the appointments of political parties from two to one.
“So one from the UWP, one from the Labour Party and a Chairman appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister after consultation with the Leader of the Opposition,” Linton said. “The legislation now will make the seven-member commission previously the former commission and matters before that former commission, now this new commission will decide if it wants to continue with them.”
On the other hand, McIntyre explained that politicians need not worry about the new amendments.
“As politicians, we have been in it for a long time, it doesn’t’ really affect us,” he stated. “I’ve been in it from inception, every year I am cleared…”
He noted that the cost of operating the IPO must also be looked at and it will be in the interest of everyone, including the opposition, to debate the amendments.
“We must bear in mind that the IPO is not only for the government,” Dr. McIntyre said. “The IPO is for everyone, so it will be in the interest of everyone to understand the debate that is going on, to see how best they can understand because we are in power today, but we must bear in mind, the opposition one day in life, you could never tell, they might be in power to so it will be in their interest as well to pay attention to it and see how best they can debate on it and join government in putting something that wouldn’t be punitive or act as a hindrance in terms of how well it can function within the system.”
The IPO Act was enacted in 2003 for the purpose of receiving declarations on the financial affairs of people holding certain positions in public life.
The IPO Commission, which enforces the Act, has several duties which includes receiving, examining, and retaining all declarations filed with it, inquiring, as it considers necessary, in order to verify or determine the accuracy of the declarations, inquiring into any allegations of bribery or act of corruption, among others.
Last year Senior counsel Tony Astaphan called for the Act to be repealed or redrafted so that no “political activists” are appointed to it.
The opposition should not give any legitimacy to this proposal by appointing a member to the proposed new ipo committee, which is no more than a blatant attempt to shield Roosevelt Skerrit from any inquiry into impropriety.
they [labor] wants a lame ipo which will be nothing more than a mockery.
Mr. Linton and the opposition should attend the parliament and expose the real reasons behind this new piece of legislation. For instance, the real owners of the villas will not be known for a long time. The President’s wealth will also not be known as long as this Government is in power. Any legal actions to be taken when them fellers refuse to submit a true report of their incomes, will be no more. A radio personality will now accept the post of General Manager. I hope after the Ayes have it, the opposition will refuse to submit any names to the committee, because it will be of no interest to the people of Dominica. Let them fellers continue to swim in their dictatorial waters.
Are there not more important issues to be dealt with, I would think so. Why don’t they streamline the ministers in parliament, streamline the constituencies on island? Worrying about IPO is not going to take out Dominica from where it is now.
I think that I could be of good assets to the IPO , so I want to serve
This goes to show the recklessness in which the country is being run by the DLP it is all about themselves. These guys are looking at ways of ensuring that their crimes are not brought to light. It is also gross disrespect to the professional organisations and i await to see what stance they take on the matter. What is the basis for the reduction in the numbers of the commission what is the end product what are they hoping to achieve?
Dominicans need to stand and be counted and stop letting this one man show continue to be inflicting wounds on the country. Of all the ills that are in society why is this a priority for the government? Why not improving the sexual offensive act why not improving the legal system with the legal professions act.
Very good step.Lets hope that the many suggestions placed before Government for amendments to this IPO ACt are taken into consideration by the House of Assembly at the meeing next week. IWe have read many of them on the :integritycommission.gov.dm. website in their annual reports since 2009. Grenada in 2014 also amended its anti-corruption legislation.We will listen to the debate.Hope all sides of the House have done their homework on this important piece of legislation.
http://www.integritycommission.gov.dm