...body issues warning to GuySuCo officials who left without filing declarations
A number of surprising names have made their way on to the Integrity Commission’s latest list of public officials who have failed to declare their assets, ranging from high-ranking officials in the Finance Ministry to the Director of Guyana’s Prisons himself.
According to a notice from the Commission, National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) Chairman Berkley Wickham; Head of Department, Bernard Lord; Head of Bilateral Division, Donna Levi; Head of Regional Planning, Miguel Choo-Kang and Head of the Multilateral Financial Institution, Denise Desouza have all failed to make their declarations as of May 3.
The same holds true for acting Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels and acting Director General of the Civil Defence Commission, Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig, who were also flagged by the Commission.
Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield and three GECOM Commissioners were also cited by the Integrity Commission, along with Head of the Guyana Energy Agency’s Fuel Marking Division, William Holder.
At the Guyana Water Inc (GWI), a slew of top brass including Chairman Nigel Hinds and Managing Director, Dr Richard Van West-Charles were called out by the Commission while a total of 24 officials from the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) were included in the list of delinquent officials.
The Commission also states that 13 former declarants from GuySuCo who left during the declaration period are also required to complete their filings. These include the former Wales Estate Manager Devindra Kumar and former Skeldon Estate Manager Karamchand Bramdeo.
In January of this year, the Integrity Commission had published the names of the 159 public officials who failed to submit their declarations as of December 31, 2018, pursuant to Section 19 of the Integrity Commission Act.
Over the years, several Members of Parliament and other public officials have been flagged by the Integrity Commission for their failure to declare their assets and liabilities, but none of their names appeared on the latest list.
The Integrity Commission Act was assented to on September 24, 1997. The Act provides for the establishment of the Integrity Commission and makes provisions for the purpose of securing the integrity of persons in public life. The Commission has the power to do anything for the proper performance of its function and in discharging its function; it is not subject to the direction or control of any other person or authority.
The Commission has the authority to regulate its own procedure and may make rules for that purpose. Public officers and positions listed under Schedule 1 of the Commission’s Act should disclose their financial assets and liabilities on or before June 30 each year.
When a public officer ceases to be a person in public life, he/she should disclose his/her assets and liabilities to the Commission within 30 days from the date that that individual ceases to be a person in public life.
