Entire integrity commission in Trinidad and Tobago collapses
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| Published on Wednesday, May 13, 2009 |
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By Oscar Ramjeet
Caribbean Net News Special Correspondent
Email: oscar@caribbeannetnews.com
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad -- Ten days after it was appointed, Trinidad and Tobago's Integrity Commission is no more.
The last two members, Lylla Bada, University Bursar and Gladys Gafoor, retired Industrial Court member tendered their resignation. Bada cited personal reasons, while Gafoor said that she quit because she realised that the Commission could not function.
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Trinidad and Tobago's President George
Maxwell Richards |
"There was no chairman, no deputy chairman and as such it could not be properly constituted" Gafoor stated.
The Integrity Commission appointed by President George Maxwell Richards started off shakily. Hours after he was sworn in, retired Court of Appeal Judge Zainool Hosein tendered his resignation, because he said that he was told by President Richards that he would have been appointed Deputy Chairman, but that was not to be.
Jeffrey McFarlane was sworn in as deputy, but he resigned three days later since he could not properly serve in the Commission, because he was a Director of the Insurance Board.
The Chairman of the Commission, Father Henry Charles, also tendered his resignation saying that the Code of Canon Law prevented clerics from holding such positions.
This means that the twin island republic is without an Integrity Commission once again.
The last Commission collapsed four months ago when all the members resigned after a judge criticized the manner in which they conducted an inquiry concerning Keith Rowley, former Minister of Government.
About six weeks ago, opposition members of Parliament were advocating for the appointment of a new Commission, and as a result UNC Member of Parliament, Kamla Persad-Bissessar served a legal notice on President Richards requesting him to appoint a Commission within 21 days or she will seek a court order to compel him to do so.
The five-member Commission was appointed the day after the notice was dispatched and shortly thereafter the mass resignations started.
In the light of the Commission fiasco, opposition leader Basdeo Panday, the Women's Arm of the UNC, and President of the Law Council, Martin Daly a Senior counsel, have called on Richards to resign.
Meanwhile, the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce has requested a thorough examination of the processes, systems and procedures of the Integrity Commission. The organisation said it viewed "very seriously" the resignations of the five nationals appointed by the President, "all of whom have handed back their warrants of appointment within a short space of time." | | | | Reads : 1062 | | | |
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