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It is a start that they hauled them before the court but the fine is too low to be effective. I would love to see the fine set at JS 10,000 per month effective from the date when the report was due. If the report is due for more than 12 months the put them in jail every weekend until it has been received.
FOUR OF seven parliamentarians who were hauled before the Half-Way Tree Resident Magistrate's Court have been slapped with $10,000 fines each for breaching the Parliament (Integrity of Members) Act.
They are Colin Fagan, member of parliament for South East St Catherine; Tarn Peralto, South East St Mary; Michael Stern, North West Clarendon, and Noel 'Butch' Arscott, South West Clarendon.
The other three who are intended candidates of the People's National Party, Anthony Hylton, Natalie Neita-Headley and Derrick Kellier, are expected to appear before the court at a later date to answer similar charges.
Hylton, the member of parliament for Western St Andrew, is challenging the charge and is to return to court on January 17, 2012.
A warrant was issued for Neita-Headley, the parliamentary representative for East Central St Catherine, who failed to attend court. However, the warrant was stayed until next Thursday when she is expected to appear before the court.
Kellier's attorney told the court that he was unable to attend because of personal business. However, the parliamentarian is expected to appear before the court next week.
Arscott and Kellier are vice-presidents of the PNP, while Hylton is deputy chairman of the party.
FOUR OF seven parliamentarians who were hauled before the Half-Way Tree Resident Magistrate's Court have been slapped with $10,000 fines each for breaching the Parliament (Integrity of Members) Act.
They are Colin Fagan, member of parliament for South East St Catherine; Tarn Peralto, South East St Mary; Michael Stern, North West Clarendon, and Noel 'Butch' Arscott, South West Clarendon.
The other three who are intended candidates of the People's National Party, Anthony Hylton, Natalie Neita-Headley and Derrick Kellier, are expected to appear before the court at a later date to answer similar charges.
Hylton, the member of parliament for Western St Andrew, is challenging the charge and is to return to court on January 17, 2012.
A warrant was issued for Neita-Headley, the parliamentary representative for East Central St Catherine, who failed to attend court. However, the warrant was stayed until next Thursday when she is expected to appear before the court.
Kellier's attorney told the court that he was unable to attend because of personal business. However, the parliamentarian is expected to appear before the court next week.
Arscott and Kellier are vice-presidents of the PNP, while Hylton is deputy chairman of the party.
For years, the Integrity Commission has been wrestling with delinquent parliamentarians who have failed to submit declarations to substantiate their claims, forcing it to dispatch names of the offending parliamentarians to the director of public prosecutions.