IC chairman against removal of auditor general from commission

Chairman of the Integrity Commission Ret'd Justice Seymour Panton has stated “emphatically” that he is against any plan by the parliamentary committee reviewing the parent legislation of the anti-corruption body to remove the auditor general as a commissioner of the entity. 

In strongly-worded chairman's remarks, contained in the commission's 2022/2023 annual report, Panton stated that the commission has sent to parliament submissions for improvement to the legislation.  

However, he said that those submissions contained in the commission's annual reports have not been addressed. 

Panton said it seemed that at the top of the parliamentary committee's agenda is the removal of a key member of the Commission – the auditor general.  

“This is surprising to me, the other commissioners, the staff of the commission and to members of the public who are concerned about the general perception of corruption in our beautiful country,” he noted.

“I am stating emphatically again for the record, and for posterity, that I am against this proposal as it will only weaken the Commission. The auditor general has been a fixture on the bodies set up to monitor the behaviour of public officials in their public roles. That has been the position for approximately fifty years,” he stated. 

“I am not aware of anything that has happened since 2017 to warrant the removal of the auditor general. In fact, from what I have seen, there is clear reason for the auditor general to be on the commission,” he added. 

According to Panton, as a Commission of Parliament, it would have been expected that the legislature would be working with the anti-corruption body with a view to lessening, if not eradicating, corruption in Jamaica.  

“However, much of what has been happening in Parliament in recent times indicates that there is a concerted attack by some parliamentarians on the institution,” Panton observed. 

“It is as if there is a desire by them for the institution to be dismantled or at least frozen by fear.” 

Member of Parliament for St Catherine South West Everald Warmington proposed sweeping changes to the Integrity Commission in March this year. 

He recommended an overhaul of the commission, suggesting that the auditor general be excised from the rank of commissioners and the prosecutorial role be reverted to the director of public prosecutions. 

Warmington, who is a member of the Joint Select Committee reviewing the Integrity Commission Act 2017, said he wants Section 1(a) of the Integrity Commission Act appointing the auditor general to the body to be deleted and replaced as Parliament deems appropriate. 

He said the removal of the auditor general from the commission would do no harm to the anti-corruption body as she may, at any time, conduct an audit of the commission's affairs. 

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