The Integrity Commission yesterday said that declarants who submitted their returns after the extended cut-off period are now misguiding the public by implying that their compliance was not recognized.
In a statement yesterday, the Integrity Commission said it wished to address the misinformation circulating in the public regarding the recent publication of the Defaulters List for specified officers who did not submit their 2022 declarations by June 16, 2023.
It said that the Defaulters List published on June 24, 2023, accurately reflected the information available up to June 14, 2023, and included those specified officers who failed to meet the declaration submission deadline.
“The Integrity Commission diligently followed its established procedures to inform specified officers of their obligation to submit their declarations, including sending declaration packages, extending submission dates, dispatching reminder letters, and publishing a paid reminder advertisement to emphasize the deadline.
“It is important to note that the declaration submission deadline for the year 2022 (1st July 2021 to 30th June, 2022) was August 31, 2022 and a further extension was given to December 31, 2022. Specified officers who failed to submit their declarations by June 16, 2023, were appropriately listed as defaulters as mandated by the Commission’s Act No, 20 of 1997. Declarants who submitted after the cut-off period are now misguiding the public by implying that their compliance was not recognized”, the statement said.
The Commission said it is currently in the process of updating the records to include the declarations received after June 16, 2023. A revised list will be prepared as part of the second phase of the Commission’s mandate.
The Commission emphasized the importance of specified officers submitting their declarations in a timely manner to avoid their names being published as defaulters.
“It is crucial for all officers to fulfil their obligations and adhere to the declaration submission deadlines set forth by the Integrity Commission”, the statement added.
The Defaulters List issued on June 24 by the Integrity Commission warned former Leader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon, current MP and AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan and a host of senior public servants that they face fines and jail terms if they don’t submit declarations by July 31st, 2023.
The notice in the Official Gazette also listed the following former and current MPs as being in jeopardy of fines and jail terms: Dawn Hastings-Williams, Dr Nicolette Henry, Dr Karen Cummings, Sherod Duncan, Shurwayne Holder, Deonarine Ramsaroop, Vinceroy Jordan and Devin Sears. No government MP is on the list.
Also on the list of defaulters are the Solicitor General in the Ministry of Legal Affairs, Nigel Hawke and Chief Executive Officer of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), Arvind Parag along with senior officials of the Ministry of Public Works. On the list from the latter ministry are Vladim Persaud, Permanent Secretary; Ron Rahaman, Chief Roads and Bridges Officer; Kevin Samad, Chief Sea and River Defence Officer; Patrick Thompson, Chief Transport Planning Officer; Collin Gittens, Engineer (civil); Kester Hinds, Manager – Traffic/safety/maintenance; Andy Mahadeo – Procurement and Contracts Manager.
Others listed in the notice are Ryan Toolsiram, acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs; Donita Fedee, Director, Student Loan Agency, Ministry of Finance; Mark Lloyd Conway, Director on the board of the NPTAB and Dr Narine Singh, Chief Medical Officer in the Ministry of Health.
Diplomats were among those cited. These included George Talbot, Guyana’s Ambassador to CARICOM, Department of Americas; Choo An Yin, Ambassador to China and Donnette Streete, Senior Foreign Service Officer 1, Frontiers. Former High Commissioner to India Charrandass Persaud is also on the list.
Others on the list are the Director of the Local Content Secretariat in the Ministry of Natural Resources, Martin Pertab; the Director of Culture in the Ministry of Culture, Tamika Boatswain; George Jervis, Chief Technical Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture; Director of Social Services in the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, Whentworth Tanner and Samantha Jarvis-Wright, Chief Accountant in the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development.
