Six-member Integrity Commission to be set up

By Marlon Madden

A six-member Integrity Commission is to be established under the new integrity legislation.

According to the Integrity in Public Life Bill which was laid in Parliament on Tuesday, the Integrity Commission will consist of a chairman, an attorney-at-law, a chartered or certified accountant, a member of the clergy who is appointed by the President after consultation with the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition, a person appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister, and a person appointed by the President on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition.

Members of the Integrity Commission will hold office for an initial period of three years and be eligible for reappointment, according to the long-awaited Bill.

For a person to qualify for the position of chairman, they must have “held office as a judge of a court having unlimited jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters in some part of the Commonwealth or a court having jurisdiction in appeals from any such court”.

The chairman is to be appointed by the President after consultation with the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.

The Integrity in Public Life Bill states that the attorney-at-law appointed to the Integrity Commission by the President after consultation with the Council of the Barbados Bar Association,  shall be someone “with at least 10 years’ standing and whose name appears on the Roll of Attorneys-at-law pursuant to the Legal Profession Act, Cap. 370A.”

The chartered or certified accountant chosen shall have at least seven years’ experience and shall be appointed by the President “after consultation with any body which, in his opinion, represents chartered or certified accountants in Barbados”.

According to the yet-to-be passed law, the members of the Integrity Commission will be entitled to such remuneration and allowances as the Minister responsible for Finance determines.

“Subject to this Act, the Commission may regulate its own procedure and may make rules for the purpose,” it added.

The Integrity in Public Life Bill also makes provision for a secretary to the Integrity Commission, who shall attend the meetings of the Commission, record the proceedings of the Commission and keep the minutes of each meeting in proper form, and generally perform such duties connected with the work of the Commission as the Commission may require.

The legislation also makes provision for the appointment of a tribunal by the President, consisting of a chairman and no fewer than two other members. 

marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb