Government's inaction irks corruption commission

The State continues to take little or no action against public servants who are flouting the law requiring them to file annual declarations with the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption.

In its report for the 2009-2010 fiscal year, the commission said it expected to get 21,166 declarations from public servants, but received only 12,342.

That represents a compliance rate of 58 per cent and has left members of the commission fuming at the seeming unwillingness of legislators to give it more power to deal with delinquent civil servants.

In 2009-2010, 51 tardy public servants were dragged before the courts for failing to file annual declarations.

Of that number, 28 were fined, while 23 had the charges against them withdrawn by the director of public prosecutions (DPP).

The commission has expressed dissatisfaction with the small number of delinquents being taken before the courts and is trying to work with the DPP to ensure that more persons who ignore the rules are punished.