Express Editorial
Saturday, October 4th 2008
DEBATES in Parliament are supposed to be about the interests of those who put Members of Parliament there, not to hurl scandalous allegations at individuals in and out of Parliament. In this regard, there is another aspect of Prime Minister Manning’s parliamentary behaviour that needs noting.
We refer to his allegation that somehow the MP for Siparia, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, had been given access by an employee of the Integrity Commission to confidential information on persons unnamed, the allegation tied to the “problem” of unwillingness of persons to sit on boards. Mr Manning further observed that he had heard these reports from time to time and caused the matter to be investigated.
Surely, the Prime Minister must know that under Section 20 (1) of the Integrity in Public Life Act 2000 all members of the Integrity Commission and its employees are bound by oath to secrecy regarding records and that under Section 20 (5) if any of the Commission or its employees communicates or even attempts to communicate confidential information to any unauthorised person he/she shall be guilty of an offence and on conviction is liable to a fine of $250,000 and ten years imprisonment.
Full Article : trinidadexpress.com
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The Express Editorial dated Saturday 4th October, 2008 begins as follows: “Debates in Parliament are supposed to be about the interests of those who put Members of Parliament there, not to hurl scandalous allegations at individuals in and out of Parliament. In this regard, there is another aspect of Prime Minister Manning’s parliamentary behaviour that needs noting.”
Prime MInster Manning is again singled out for special mention, but in this regard all Parliamentarians are just as guilty. Opposition Parliamentarians cannot adopt a holier than thou atitude in this regard–their best example of persons hurling scandalous allegations at individuals is Senator Wade Mark who has been proven wrong on every occasion.
What is even more noteworthy is the glee with which opposition Parliamentarians state how they got information (in their mailboxes, files/documents sent to them, etc.) and the pious faces they put on as they lie to the high heavens. They are actually encouraging individuals to steal government and other documents to give it to them.
Another area of concern in this regard is the intention of Dr. Tim Goopeesingh to send documents to the Integrity Commission. Is he an investigator employed by the Commission? His practice is indeed a sinister development.