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Contact: Janelle Charles
Thursday, March 14, 2002 - The St. Lucia House of
Assembly has passed for the first time legislation that identifies what
constitute acts of corruption under the Integrity in Public Life Act, when it
met Tuesday.
The Act says a person commits an act of corruption if he or she solicits or
accepts directly or indirectly any article or money or benefit, being a gift,
favour, promise or vantage to him or herself, or another person, for doing any
act, or omitting to do any act, in the performance of his or her functions or
causing any person to do so or omit to do anything.
It is also an act of corruption, among others, if a public person allows his or
her private interests to conflict with his or her public duties, or to
improperly influence his or her conduct in the performance in his or her public
duties.
In presenting the Bill for the consideration of members of the House of Assembly
Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Kenny Anthony says this legislation is a statement to
the public that corruption will not be tolerated adding, fighting corruption is
not just an issue for politicians. “A society is as corrupted as the people of
the society itself. Corruption is not peculiar to politicians and that has been
the history of major cases sweeping not only the Caribbean but also elsewhere.
When for example employees cheat employers, when for example they steal openly,
then that constitutes criminal acts of behaviour that are equally unacceptable.
The point I want to make clear Mr. Speaker, if we want to cleanse our society of
corruption we must also cleanse our people of the temptation to turn to
corruption to get what they otherwise cannot get,” the Prime Minister told
members of the House of Assembly.
Under the Integrity In Public Life Act any persons in public life who commits an
act of corruption is liable upon summary conviction to a fine not exceeding one
hundred thousand dollars or imprisonment not exceeding five years. In the case
of a second offence a fine not exceeding three hundred thousand dollars, or
imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years. On conviction and indictment
for a first corruption offence, a person could face a fine not exceeding five
hundred thousand dollar or to imprisonment not exceeding ten years or both. In
the case of a second or subsequent offence, to a fine not exceeding one million
dollars and for imprisonment not exceeding fifteen years.
Persons in public life include members of the Senate and the House of the
Assembly, Ministers of Government, Parliamentary Secretaries, Permanent
Secretaries, Chief Technical Officers in Government Ministries and Heads of
Departments and the Cabinet Secretary. “Every person in public life should
constantly keep this legislation at his or her reference, because what one is
doing here is to prescribe for the future modes of behaviour for our public
officials,” the Prime Minister said.
Several members of the House of Assembly contributed to the debate on the
Integrity in Public Life Bill including the leader of the Opposition Marius
Wilson
At Tuesday sitting of the House, the Immigration Amendment Bill, the Immigration
Ordinance Amendment, both of which facilities the free movement of OECS national
were passed. The Evidence Bill was also passed at Tuesday’s sitting.
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