Dear Editor,

The Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) and Opposition Leader Mark Golding is well within their right to demand that the six Members of Parliament (MP) under investigation be named.

Opposition Leader Golding has emphatically, clearly, and vociferously stated that he has enquired and no PNP MP is under investigation by the Integrity Commission (IC), so, therefore, it would be the responsible thing to do for Prime Minister Andrew Holness to contact every Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) MP to ascertain which ones, if any, are being investigated for illicit enrichment and thereafter reveal to Jamaica those names.

This is an important national issue and I sincerely implore Holness to do so expeditiously in the interest of transparency and good governance, to which he firmly adheres.

It is most important that the proposed Unexplained Wealth Order Act be promulgated into law to allow elite investigative agencies, such as the Financial Investigations Division and Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency, to apply this well-needed law to organised, high-value criminal barons who are under intense and comprehensive law enforcement investigations.

There needs to be thorough debate of any proposed Enhanced Security Measures Bill, with input from the Jamaica Bar Association, Advocates Association of Jamaica, and civil society.

I am happy that the IC has officially cleared former National Security Minister Peter Bunting of any wrongdoing in the issuance of firearms licences during his tenure as national security minister and I do hope that government MP Robert Montague will have an opportunity to clear his name, if so warranted.

The executive director of the IC, Greg Christie, and the commissioners deserve widespread commendations for thus far doing a first-class job in the respective duties that they carry out — very, very important duties and responsibilities.

The IC is a commission of Parliament, which is governed under the Integrity Commission Act, 2017 and is tasked with carrying out its functions as mandated generally under Section 6 of said Act. Among its cardinal functions under the Act are to:

(a) investigate alleged or suspected acts of corruption and instances of non-compliance with the provision of the Act;

(b) prosecute acts of corruption and offences committed under the Act;

(c) receive complaints in relation to alleged or suspected acts of corruption and instances of non-compliance with the provision of the Act;

(d) monitor and, where necessary, investigate the award, implementation, and termination of government contracts and;

(e) adopt and strengthen mechanisms for educating the public in matters relating to corruption.

I must state here unequivocally that under no circumstances should the prosecutorial powers be removed from the IC. I concur with the view that the annual budget of the IC should be increased from $1.3 billion to $2 billion per year.

The IC should be able to conduct investigations going back to at least 12 years and the Code of Conduct for Commissioners of the Integrity Commission should not be criminalised.

Robert Dalley

Opinion writer and public commentator

robertdalley720@yahoo.com