Dalley apologises for late filing of statutory declaration

Former Clarendon Northern Member of Parliament Horace Dalley has apologised for not filing on time, his statutory declarations with the Integrity Commission.

Dalley, who lost his seat in the September 3, 2020 general elections, was late in filing his statutory declarations for the period ending December 2020.

They were only filed last week.

"I submitted my declaration and have my receipt but I still have to go to court," Dalley told The Gleaner.

He was this morning summoned to the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court for failing to file his statutory declaration but the case was put off until July 15 because Dalley was ill.

The People's National Party politician said that for the 26 years he was in public life, he filed all his statutory declarations.

However, he admitted that he was negligent in submitting the last statutory declaration to the Integrity Commission.

“I have been there, sat with them and sorted out my issue with them and I apologised for my late filing,” Dalley told The Gleaner.

A report from the Integrity Commission was tabled in Parliament on Tuesday afternoon highlighting Dalley's breach of the Integrity Commission Act.

Director of Investigation at the Integrity Commission Kevon Stephenson reported that the former Clarendon Northern MP was notified of his failure to file the required statutory declaration and was warned of the consequences if he failed to comply.

Dalley's failure to file the required statutory declaration constitutes an offence under Section 43(1) of the Integrity Commission Act.

What the law says
Failure to file statutory declaration with the Integrity Commission constitutes an offence. The offender is liable on conviction in a parish court to a fine not exceeding $500,000 or to a term of imprisonment not more than six months.

In the report tabled today, Stephenson said that Dalley provided no lawful justification or excuse for his failure to file the required statutory declaration.  

Stephenson has referred the matter to the Director of Corruption Prosecution Keisha Prince for consideration.

The director of investigation has also recommended that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Marisa Dalrymple Philibert, assists in ensuring compliance by MPs with the requirements of the Integrity Commission Act.

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