fp Turks and Caicos

Almost two years after it was created, the Integrity Commission now has a staff of three, but it needs more resources to fulfill its mandate in the new Constitution, said commission Chairman Sir David Simmons.

Simmons, a former chief justice of Barbados, told a news conference Feb. 24 that legislation has yet to be passed for the creation of a code of conduct for public officials, the operation of elections and political party finance, all in which the commission has a role.

Simmons said he would soon be issuing a statement to the governor saying the commission currently cannot carry out those duties because it does not have sufficient staff, office space and funding.

Created by the former elected government in 2008, the commission began operation in May 2010. Since then it sent out 169 declaration forms to public persons required to report their financial information.

A total of 159 responded, a 94-percent participation rate that Simmons said the Turks and Caicos Islands should be proud of.

The information collected is confidential, Simmons stressed.

“I wish to assure the public that the information which they have given via the forms has been carefully and properly secured,” he said. “We have massive and substantial vaults. So far as electronic technology is concerned, I also give the assurance that we have secured the best possible advice as to how to make secure the information that we receive electronically.”

Commission employees are sworn to secrecy upon penalty of prison and fines, he said.

Commission Director Eugene Otuonye explained a misunderstood proposed amendment concerning declarations of officials and their spouses or partners.

The original legislation required spouses of public persons and anyone living with them as husband or wife to file declarations. Spouses of public persons living apart or in divorce proceedings did not have to file, an exception that was being abused, he said.

The amendment removed that exception, and it says partners must live with public officials for at least a year while the official is in office before having to file declarations.

In addition to collecting financial declarations, the commission receives and investigates complaints of corruption, examines public bodies to detect corruption and advises on management of public bodies.

Simmons said the commission will be holding more press conferences and interaction with the public to help people understand its role.