By Vernon Daley, Staff ReporterTHE INTEGRITY Commission has once again issued a strong rebuke to parliamentarians who file incomplete declarations relating to their finances.
At the same time, the Commission has recommended that the ceiling above which parliamentarians would have to declare cash being held, be lowered from $500,000 to $50,000.
In its March 2003 report, tabled in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, the Commission raised concerns about the failure of legislators to submit financial statements that would allow for the proper scrutiny of their declarations.
CONCERN
"The Commission wishes to again place on record its concern at the high rate of incomplete declarations being furnished by parliamentarians resulting in unnecessary correspondence and queries and would wish that the declarations are accurate and complete with all the supporting documentation," the report said.
Commissioners were concerned also about what they said was the number of registered letters sent to parliamentarians at their correct addresses but which were returned by the post office with the notation "unclaimed."
Parliamentarians are required to file annual declarations to the Commission, which was set up in 1973 to ensure the integrity of parliamentarians.
Earlier this year, the Commission reported two former Jamaica Labour Party Senators to the Director of Public Prosecutions because of their failure to file their declarations.
The two former Senators - Ryan Peralto and Brian Wallace, were charged and brought before the courts. However, the DPP withdrew the case after both men subsequently filed their declarations.
LOWERING OF THE THRESHOLD
The Commission wants a lowering of the threshold, above which parliamentarians would have to declare cash being held.
Under the law, parliamentarians who are holding more than $500,000
in cash, other than in a bank, are
required to make a declaration
to the Commission. However, the Commission said that the sum was too high and would leave a loophole through which parliamentarians could escape from scrutiny.
All sums being held in bank accounts have to be declared as a matter of course.
"The Commission considers that the figure of $500,000 is very unrealistic as it would be possible for a parliamentarian to have several amounts of $500,000, each in different financial institutions other than a bank, without having to declare them," the Commission said. It wants the ceiling to be moved to $50,000.
