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'It's far from satisfactory'
Anti-corruption body not happy with complianceBY ALICIA DUNKLEY Observer staff reporter dunkleya@jamaicaobserver.com
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
SECRETARY/manager of the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption David Grey has described the 60.5 per cent compliance by public servants in the filing of statutory declarations as "far" from satisfactory.
In its annual report for 2006 tabled in the House of Representatives last week, the commission said it had received 8,379 declarations for the 2006 calendar year.
According to the report, an estimated 13,850 declarations were to be received.
But according to the secretary/manager, "the only number the commission would want to say is satisfactory is 100 per cent.".
"But you'd never reach there," he predicted.
Under the 2000 Corruption Prevention Act, public officials who earn in excess of $2 million per year, or who hold particularly sensitive positions, are required by law to file an account of their assets and earnings annually.
In the meantime, the commission said it has, since 2005, referred a further 115 public servants to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, bringing the total number of referrals made to 453. Two public servants were among those prosecuted for failure to file statutory declarations.
Grey said yesterday that the commission was now giving newly appointed director of prosecutions, Paula Llewellyn time to settle into her post before meeting with her to ascertain how she would proceed with the remaining cases.
"A lot of things will have to be debated now that we have a new director of public prosecutions. The former DPP dealt with some; she has just assumed office but we should learn from her shortly how she intends to proceed with the remaining," Grey said yesterday.
Public servants, he said, had cited various difficulties as the reason for not making their declarations.
He said the commission had made recommendations over the years as to what can be done to assist public servants to comply.
"For various reasons public servants have difficulties making their declarations. The commission has heard some of the complaints and has made recommendations over the years but the matter of the review of the Corruption Prevention Act which will look at what the recommendations are has not occurred," the secretary/manager said.
The Commission for the Prevention of Corruption is required by law to have its annual report tabled in Parliament and the review of its operation is also the prerogative of Parliament.
Posts for which statutory declarations are required under the Act are: Parish councillors and councillors of the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation, office managers, property officers, property services managers, property maintenance officers, procurement managers, procurement officers and office services managers.
Statutory declarations are also expected of posts in several departments, bodies and ministries, such as the Customs Department, the Immigration, Passport and Citizenship Services, the Inland Revenue Department, the Island Traffic Authority, Kingston and St Andrew Corporation, Ministry of Transport and Works, parish councils, Revenue Protection Department and the Taxpayer Audit and Assessment Department.
Anti-corruption body not happy with complianceBY ALICIA DUNKLEY Observer staff reporter dunkleya@jamaicaobserver.com
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
SECRETARY/manager of the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption David Grey has described the 60.5 per cent compliance by public servants in the filing of statutory declarations as "far" from satisfactory.
In its annual report for 2006 tabled in the House of Representatives last week, the commission said it had received 8,379 declarations for the 2006 calendar year.
According to the report, an estimated 13,850 declarations were to be received.
But according to the secretary/manager, "the only number the commission would want to say is satisfactory is 100 per cent.".
"But you'd never reach there," he predicted.
Under the 2000 Corruption Prevention Act, public officials who earn in excess of $2 million per year, or who hold particularly sensitive positions, are required by law to file an account of their assets and earnings annually.
In the meantime, the commission said it has, since 2005, referred a further 115 public servants to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, bringing the total number of referrals made to 453. Two public servants were among those prosecuted for failure to file statutory declarations.
Grey said yesterday that the commission was now giving newly appointed director of prosecutions, Paula Llewellyn time to settle into her post before meeting with her to ascertain how she would proceed with the remaining cases.
"A lot of things will have to be debated now that we have a new director of public prosecutions. The former DPP dealt with some; she has just assumed office but we should learn from her shortly how she intends to proceed with the remaining," Grey said yesterday.
Public servants, he said, had cited various difficulties as the reason for not making their declarations.
He said the commission had made recommendations over the years as to what can be done to assist public servants to comply.
"For various reasons public servants have difficulties making their declarations. The commission has heard some of the complaints and has made recommendations over the years but the matter of the review of the Corruption Prevention Act which will look at what the recommendations are has not occurred," the secretary/manager said.
The Commission for the Prevention of Corruption is required by law to have its annual report tabled in Parliament and the review of its operation is also the prerogative of Parliament.
Posts for which statutory declarations are required under the Act are: Parish councillors and councillors of the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation, office managers, property officers, property services managers, property maintenance officers, procurement managers, procurement officers and office services managers.
Statutory declarations are also expected of posts in several departments, bodies and ministries, such as the Customs Department, the Immigration, Passport and Citizenship Services, the Inland Revenue Department, the Island Traffic Authority, Kingston and St Andrew Corporation, Ministry of Transport and Works, parish councils, Revenue Protection Department and the Taxpayer Audit and Assessment Department.