LONDON, England: The Premier and other Ministers in the Turks and Caicos Islands will shortly be required by summons to appear before the Commission of Inquiry into possible corruption or other serious dishonesty, for examination under oath and to produce documents in respect of matters where their disclosure remains deficient.
According to a press release on Friday, the Commission’s Solicitor, Jacqueline Duff, and its Secretary, Laurance O’Dea, have just spent two weeks in the Turks & Caicos Islands talking to persons wishing to give information and/or evidence in the Inquiry and in attempting to identify and examine relevant public records and documents.
 |
| Sir Robin Auld QC Commissioner of Enquiry. |
However, on their visit to the Territory the Solicitor and the Secretary were reportedly unable to obtain access to and inspect many public records and documents that they sought, with the consent of the Governor, to inspect. Members of the Commission staff will, therefore, have to return shortly to resume that part of the task.
Further, the press release said, with very few exceptions, there has been no response from Ministers, other elected Members of the House of Assembly, the former Cabinet Secretary, Government Permanent Secretaries or Under-Secretaries to the Commissioner’s written invitations to each of them to assist the Inquiry with information or submissions they consider might bear on his terms of reference.
Disclosure of Interests by Ministers and other Members of the House of Assembly continues, in general, to be inadequate, despite repeated efforts by the Commission in writing to secure full and accurate disclosure, the Commission said.
“In consequence, the Commissioner will shortly, by summons, require the Premier and other Ministers to attend before him in the Territory for examination under oath and to produce documents in respect of matters where their disclosure remains deficient,” the release stated.
The Commission went on to say that the present want of full and accurate disclosure by Ministers and other Members of the House of Assembly, little access to public records and documents and lack of ready financial resources have obliged the Commission to defer instructing forensic accountants for the purpose of examining individual transactions relevant to its Terms of Reference.
“It may be that the time and resources required for enlisting such aid would call for consideration after and in the light of the Commission’s Report when presented to the Governor,” the Commission said.
The Commission added that many people have provided information and increasing numbers are making approaches to its Secretariat in London to give information and/or evidence.
For that purpose, and to give an opportunity to anyone to give evidence who appears to the Commission to be implicated or concerned in the subject matter of the Inquiry, it will conduct oral hearings in the TCI throughout December 2008. Such hearings may be held in public and/or in private, and evidence may be taken orally on oath or in writing, as the Commission considers appropriate. The proceedings will be recorded.
The Commission renewed its open invitation to anyone who believes that it has information that may assist the Inquiry to contact the Secretary at secretary@tci-inquiry.org, or by post, fax or telephone to First Floor, 26 Southampton Buildings, Holborn, London, WC2A 1PN, tel (+44) (0) 207 173 2400, fax (+44) (0) 207 173 2371.
“Given the continuing and widely expressed fear of intimidation or victimisation expressed by many who have made submissions to the UK Foreign Affairs Committee and who have approached the Commission with a view to giving it information, those who wish to provide information to it in confidence, should say so. Neither the information nor its source, nor anything that might suggest its source, will be made public without their express consent,” the Commission said.
The Commission of Inquiry into possible corruption or other serious dishonesty in recent years of past and present elected members of the legislature was appointed by outgoing Governor Richard Tauwhare on July 10, 2008. Tauwhare appointed Sir Robin Auld QC as Commissioner.
The Commission's preliminary report and recommendations were originally due to be submitted to Tauwhare’s successor, Governor Gordon Wetherell, by 3 November. However, Wetherell has extended the time for the Commission of Inquiry and submission of its report until mid February 2009. |
