Notice has been served by the Integrity Commission to 184 persons in the regions of their failure to submit statutory declarations but silence prevails over senior public servants and politicians who had been given a July 31st, 2023 deadline to comply, failing which they would face fines and jail terms.
In a notice in the Official Gazette of August 12, 2023, the Integrity Com-mission listed 184 regional officials and councillors who had failed to submit their declaration for the 2022 period (1st July, 2021 to 30th June 2022)
The defaulters include the Chairman of Region Five, Vickchand Ramphal; Chairman of Region Seven, Kenneth Williams; Chairman of Region Eight, Headley Pio; Chairman of Region Nine, Bryan Allicock; Chairman of Region 10, Deron Adams.
The list also includes Region One Regional Executive officer (REO), Tikaram Bisesar; former Region Two REO, Devanand Ramdatt and Region 10 REO, Dwight John.
Many regional councillors are in default. In Region Four alone, 27 out of 30 councillors have not submitted their declarations.
The Integrity Commission said that the 184 persons are requested to submit their declaration form on or before September 30, 2023. Continued failure will now constitute an offence which stipulates a fine together with imprisonment.
This exact warning had been issued on June 24 to 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. That date has passed without further word from the Commission on whether the submissions have been made or penalties applied.
Also listed in the June 24 notice were the following former and current MPs: Dawn Hastings-Williams, Dr Nicolette Henry, Dr Karen Cummings, Sherod Duncan, Shurwayne Holder, Deonarine Ramsaroop, Vinceroy Jordan and Devin Sears.
Also on the list of defaulters were 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 were 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.
