INTEGRITY COMMISSION TAKES A SWIPE AT ROWLEY

In a land in which independent institutions are collapsing, the Integrity Commission has shown rare spunk – or it is recklessness? – in responding to an absurd statement from Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley.

Rowley told a political meeting last week: “After all the wasting of time by the Integrity Commission, Saddam, and the UNC, the Integrity Commission has finally come to their senses and have written to me telling me they no longer have any interest in the matter.”

In a public statement, the Integrity Commission said: “The Commission spends as much time as is necessary to ensure that each complaint is thoroughly investigated.

“It does not ever consider that the time it spends, or the time that its dedicated staff spends in carefully reviewing the allegations made and the evidence gathered, to be a waste of time.”

Ouch!

Members of the Integrity Commission are appointed by the President.

Current members are listed as chair Professor Rajendra Ramlogan, vice chair Frederick Gilkes, Eleanor Bridgeman-Volney, Sandra Honore, and Lyndon Brent James.

Incumbent Procurement Regulator Moonilal Lalchan was recently replaced.

Lalchan had previously said that “the political will is not there” to tackle corruption, including bid-rigging and other forms of white-collar crime.

He said that “we all know the alleged corruption that happens in an election year” and “this alleged corruption is too engrained right now in the population.”

He estimated that an average of $5.2 billion is lost each year to corruption and inefficiency.

The Procurement Regulator is appointed by the President.

Stay tuned!