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Contact:
Chris Satney
Monday, May 30, 2005 - Prime Minister Honourable Dr. Kenny Anthony has
expressed the hope that an ongoing public sensitization campaign by the
Integrity Commission will demystify the issues surrounding the work of the
Commission.
The work of the Integrity Commission, which Dr. Anthony says goes unnoticed, may
be attributed to inadequate public relations on its work and the various
provisions of the Integrity in Public Life Act of 2004. The Prime Minister
believes though that the situation is changing as the commission continues its
campaign to make its work more familiar to citizens.
Dr. Anthony says, like many other laws in the country, successful implementation
and enforcement of the Integrity in Public Life Act of 2004 relies on active
participation of the public. He urged members of the public to play their part
in ensuring the operation of the Integrity Commission is effective, but he says
this does not give a licence to the members of the public to engage in
“frivolous and vexatious” submission on which there is little shred of evidence.
“Reckless and inflammatory statements can cause irreparable damage to the
reputation of people and their families. Public scrutiny is a continuous thing
but we all must understand our role is not to embarrass public officials but to
monitor their behaviour to ensure that it is consistent with the principles of
integrity. All public officials are entitled to due process under the law and to
seek appropriate remedies if they are wronged,” Dr. Anthony said.
Prime Minister Honourable Dr. Kenny Anthony was at the time speaking on his
weekly radio address “Conversation with the Nation.”
A handbook detailing the functions and scope of operations of the Integrity
Commission has been released and it is hoped this will complement other
activities implemented by the commission to increase public awareness of its
mandate. The five member bipartisan commission is chaired by Archdeacon Canon
Randolph Evelyn and is housed on the first floor of the Sir Stanislaus James
Building on the Waterfront in Castries.
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