Dear Editor,

Quite recently, Everald Warmington, prominent member of the Integrity Commission’s Parliamentary Oversight Committee, senior Government minister, and Member of Parliament (MP), was prevented from discussing a very important issue having to do with a senior serving member of the Integrity Commission, alleging that this said individual was a senior advisor to a former high-ranking official of the People’s National Party.

Astonishingly, the chairman of the committee, Edmund Bartlett, sought to prevent Warmington from discussing this issue of great national importance, which was unfortunate, to say the least. All members of the Integrity Commission are being paid by taxpayers and, therefore, Warmington should have been allowed to air and posit his concerns about this individual, and the citizens of this country have a right to hear Warmington’s concerns about a person serving in a public capacity.

It is scandalous that Chairman Bartlett sought to, in my opinion, muzzle Warmington when, in fact, he was seeking to get answers. This is an important public issue, Chairman Bartlett. Do you understand this fact?

Warmington has always been an outspoken, no-nonsense, and fearless MP, who is known to be of the highest integrity and character as well as a very active parliamentarian on whichever committee he sits. For these outstanding attributes, I greatly admire this long-serving and outstanding MP.

Clearly Chairman Bartlett should issue a public apology to Warmington.

I commend Warmington on being a hard-working, dedicated, and extremely professional minister of Government.

Frank L R Manborde

Former four-term parish councillor and local government researcher

Grange Hill PO, Westmoreland

franklrmanborde@mail.com