Integrity Commission Annual Report | Former IC chairman Panton slams lawmaker on oversight committee, chides financial secretary

The Integrity Commission's immediate past chairman, retired Justice Seymour Panton, has accused a lawmaker of "unethical conduct" and blasted the financial secretary for allegedly failing to respond to official correspondence from the anti-corruption body.

The remarks were contained in the commission’s annual report for the period April 2024 to March 2025, which was tabled in the Senate on Friday.

The report includes Justice Panton’s final statement. He demitted office in February, marking the end of his tenure with the entity that he joined from it came into operation in 2018.

Panton, a former Court of Appeal president, said the commission had “good reason” to write to the Speaker of the House Juliet Holness, regarding the conduct of the MP in question, but noted that “to date, that letter has not been acknowledged.”

He did not name the lawmaker.

Despite the gravity of the concerns, he said, the individual remains a member of the IC's parliamentary committee that oversees the commission and “seems to have assumed the lead role in the effort to dismantle the Commission,” including pushing for changes to its structure and membership.

The former chairman also took aim at Financial Secretary Darlene Morrison, criticising her for not responding to at least two letters from the commission. “That’s not appropriate behaviour by a civil servant, especially one so highly placed,” he wrote.

Justice Panton also expressed disappointment with what he described as antagonism from some government legislators who are members of the ruling Jamaica Labour Party. He condemned the actions as “shameful” and said the situation had caused real concern for the safety and morale of the Commission’s personnel.

While lauding the commitment of the commission’s staff and noting general improvements in compliance with statutory declaration requirements by public officials, Panton issued a stern reminder: “There should be no compromise when it comes to ethical conduct and integrity in public life.”

He also rebuked what he described as hostility from the Senate President Tom Tavares-Finson, alleging that he had used public platforms to call for the resignation of the commissioners and appeared to take offence when the Commission’s reports questioned the conduct of public officials.

The full statement from former Chairman Justice Seymour Panton is published below:

This is my final annual message as Chairman of the Integrity Commission. It has been a great honour and privilege to have served on Jamaica’s first comprehensive Integrity Commission for the past seven years, during six of which I was the Chairman. As a very proud Jamaican who is, and always has been, committed to serving the public and the public interest, I am very pleased with the work of the Commission, not just over the past year, but for the entire period that it has been in existence.

The law establishing the Commission came into effect in 2018. It bears reminding that the law mandated that the staff that had been employed to the three legacy bodies were to be kept on for six months only, and then new staff were to be recruited. It meant that the Commission commenced operation without a settled structure and staff complement. The newly appointed Commissioners had to devise the structure, then seek the approval of the Ministry of Finance and Parliament for the Commission to become operational. We engaged Colonel Daniel Pryce, OD, on an interim basis as Executive Director. He assisted in getting the Commission off the ground. In the meantime, the Commission – in its unsettled state – came under intense pressure to complete and present to Parliament reports that had been in train under the legacy bodies. It was not an easy time.

It was not until May 2020 that the Commission was able to appoint an Executive Director, in the form of Mr. Greg Christie, who helped greatly in the finalization of the structure and with the recruitment of middle and junior staff. Currently, there is a problem with the Commission’s ability to recruit staff at a certain level as recent upgrading in the public service has left the Commission behind. It has also resulted in the departure of some members of staff.

The Integrity Commission is a Commission of Parliament. It is a body that should receive the support of all members of the legislature and other public officers. After all, it is established to promote ethical conduct and good honest governance by all public officers. The law requires the filing of declarations of income and assets by such officers, and the Commission has insisted on compliance with the provisions of the law. In the early days of my chairmanship, I made it clear that it would not be business as usual, in that the Commission would not tolerate defiance of the law by public officers. There was some resistance, but I am happy to report that most public officers are now cooperating with the Commission. There is an appreciation that all stable democracies are based on compliance with the laws and conventions relating to integrity in public life.

I am very pleased with the performance of the staff of the Commission over the years, notwithstanding the threats and personal abuse that have been levelled at all of us. They have proven that they are committed to good governance in Jamaica.

Most public officers have been cooperating with the efforts of the Commission to fulfil its mandate. However, it has to be said, if the truth is to be told, that some members of the legislature who are part of the governing party have adopted an antagonistic stance towards the Commission to the point where they have regularly made false statements inside and outside the Parliament while libelling Commissioners and staff members. One female legislator went to the extreme of using an anti-social media platform to post images of members of the Commission and attaching outright lies that many have interpreted as an invitation for us to be harmed. Even the youth arm of that party joined in attacking and libelling us. I regard this whole scenario as shameful.

The actions of some legislators have really surprised and disappointed me.

The Commission had good reason to write to the Speaker in respect of the unethical conduct of a Member of Parliament. To date, that letter has not been acknowledged. Given the reason for the letter being written, it is surprising that the individual remains a member of the Parliamentary Committee that has oversight of the Integrity Commission. Not only has he remained a member, but he also seems to have assumed the lead role in the effort to dismantle the Commission by removing the Auditor-General and altering the qualifications for membership of the Commission. The Commission would then suffer the fate of the Political Ombudsman. The Committee seems to be prepared to dismiss the views of the Solicitor-General on the matter.

The practice of not acknowledging letters seems to have been copied by the Financial Secretary who has ignored at least two letters sent to her by the Commission. That’s not appropriate behaviour by a civil servant, especially one so highly placed.

In the Senate, the President seems to have misinterpreted his role. As the appointed leader there, instead of encouraging compliance with the requirements of the Integrity Commission Act, he regularly displayed hostility towards the Commission and on occasion was heard on radio calling for the resignation of the Commissioners and officers. He seemed to have been offended by the fact that the Commission was submitting reports that called into question the conduct of some public officers.

In closing, I wish to remind all public officers of the oath that they took on assuming office. They should always be conscious of the fact that their duty is not to a sector, group, party or individual. Their duty is to Jamaica, and their actions must be always in the best interest of the country. There should be no compromise when it comes to ethical conduct, and integrity in public life.

The Hon. Mr. Justice (Ret’d) Seymour Panton, OJ, CD

Former Chairman