Scap amemndment to Integrity bill: Deosaran

Independent Senator Prof Ramesh Deosaran told the Senate Tuesday it should scrap the bill to amend the Integrity in Public Life Act and overhaul the entire Integrity Act.

He said the Government's piecemeal approach to integrity legislation is a waste of Parliament’s time and it won’t prevent corruption.

One of the provisions of the amended bill will exclude judges from filing annual declarations to the Integrity Commission. Deosaran called that “an embarrassment to the Constitution...(and) an embarrassment to the judges." Judges and magistrates are currently obliged to file declarations but are not doing it.

He also attacked the provision that imposes hefty fines on anyone who makes false complaints, suggesting that such a change would discourage people from filing complaints. "It is my view that the medicine would kill the patient," he said.

He asked what is motivating Government to put such a "tight squeeze" on those who wish to make a complaint, especially if it is done in the public interest.

Deosaran called it a "bullying bill" that was hastily put together. He said the possibility that one or two false complaints may pass under existing legislation, it is a small price to pay for earning public confidence, which he said has been badly shaken.

But government minister Senator Mariano Browne disagreed. In supporting the proposed change he said it will prevent "maliciousness, mauvais langue and maccociousness.

The trade minister said, "Those complaints must be justified. Nobody is saying that you cannot make an error...but at the same token, there must be a reasonable basis for moving forward... Otherwise, we would enfranchise the maliciousness, the mauvais langue and the maccociousness.

"And we need to be able to deal with that. And that is the practical reality that this amendment seeks to address," he said.

Ministers face charges?

In his contribution to the debate Opposition Senator Wade Mark digressed from the amendments and told the Upper House two senior Cabinet ministers are soon to face criminal charges arising out of an investigation conducted by the Integrity Commission.

Mark spoke about a High Court affidavit in response to the allegations that the commission was taking too long to investigate a complaint submitted by the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sahba, regarding its application for a radio station licence.

Mark was blocked from naming names after Attorney General Bridgid Annisette-George and Government Senator Laurel Lazama objected to Mark's reference to senior members of the Cabinet.

"After protracted and labourious investigation as to whether the Code of Conduct under the Integrity in Public Life Act was violated by these, by both Mr X and Mr Y, when it awarded a radio licence to its financier and supporter, Louis Lee Sing's Citadel Ltd, and discriminated against the Maha Sabha, whose application was approved and waiting for five years," Mark said.

Mark claimed all that is required is for the Integrity Commission to refer the matter to the Acting Director of Public Prosecutions, Carla Brown-Antoine.

The charged that the government is bringing in a bill to amend the integrity legislation to stifle complaints to the Integrity Commission.