By Vernon Daley, Staff Reporter 
Orr
JUSTICE CHESTER Orr, chairman of the Corruption Prevention Commission, yesterday described as "frustrating" the length of time it has taken to get the commission up and running.
The former High Court judge expressed his disappointment, even as Justice Minister, Senator A.J. Nicholson, disclosed that the regulations for the Corruption Prevention Act would be tabled in Parliament for debate next month.
It is now 16 months since the Corruption Prevention Act was approved by Parliament and one year since the three-member commission was appointed. However, the regulations, the detailed operational procedures for the Act, have not been approved. The commission, set up as a watchdog for corruption in the public sector has, therefore, not been able to carry out its function.
"It's frustrating," Justice Orr said. "But you can't hurry the wheels of Government."
Senator Nicholson, however, insists that the Government has been doing all it can to put the commission into service as soon as possible. He said a final draft of the regulations was now before Cabinet and was likely to be tabled in Parliament within the next three weeks.
"The important thing though, is that we must arrive at a consensus not only in Parliament, but in the society as a whole," he said.
The Justice Minister, who assumed the portfolio last November, said the regulations have been delayed because of two critical issues: which public servants should declare their assets to the commission and whether private individuals who are members of certain boards, such as those who serve on school boards, should be brought under the scope of the commission.
While not giving details, Senator Nicholson said Government favours a model where declarations of assets would be required from persons based on their category in the civil service, their salary scale, as well as the sensitivity of the posts they occupy. Also, he said, the Government is leaning towards excluding from the ambit of the commission, members of boards not directly connected to Government.
"There are really some boards that have nothing to do with the lending of money and the like, so we have to be very careful," he said.
With no provisions made in last year's budget for the commission, Senator Nicholson said there was very little that could have been be done to get the body off the ground.
For this financial year, almost $9.8 million has been provided in budget for the commission. More than half this amount will go towards salaries for staff. The office for the commission is now located at the Mutual Life Building in New Kingston and three members of staff, including a Secretary Manager were taken on this month.
Justice Orr said the commissioners have not been paid since taking up their appointment. However, The Gleaner understands that they will this month receive their first emolument cheque. They will also receive from Government retroactive payments for the time since they have been appointed.
Corruption commissioner Orr knocks delays
