PPP taking former PNCR, current govt parliamentarians to court over filing of assets

Last Updated on Wednesday, 21 June 2017, 20:00 by Denis Chabrol

The opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is preparing to take several former People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and current government parliamentarians to court for allegedly failing to file their assets with the Integrity Commission from as far back as 2001.

The Opposition Leader’s office said PPP parliamentarian, Juan Edghill, in his capacity as a private citizen, on Wednesday formally asked Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Presidency, Abena Moore for information in keeping with the provisions of the Access to Information Act of 2011.

The intentions expressed by Opposition Leader, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, to advance private criminal action against People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Parliamentarians who breached the provisions of the Integrity Commission Act, are being acted on.

Government and the opposition are in a constant tug-o-war over which one is corrupt. No legal action had been taken against the PNCR and APNU parliamentarians by the then PPPC administration that held power from 1992 to 2015.

Edghill asked more for the names of the People National Congress Reform (PNCR) parliamentarians of the 8th and 9th Parliament who failed to submit to the Integrity Commission of Guyana the statutorily required submission of the schedule iii declaration forms (2) disclosing their Income, Assets and Liabilities of themselves and immediate family for those years 2001-2006 and 2006-2011.

He also wants the names of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) parliamentarians in the 10th Parliament who failed to submit to the Integrity Commission of Guyana the statutorily required submission of the schedule iii declaration forms (2) disclosing their Income, Assets and Liabilities of themselves and immediate family for the years 2011-2015.

“The above requested information is intended to be used in the pursuit of private criminal charges against identified delinquents in accordance with section 22 of Integrity Commission Acts 1997,” Edghill told the Ministry of the Presidency’s Permanent Secretary.

The Integrity Commission has been effectively shut down for several months now. Government had announced plans  to introduce a legal code for ministers as part of the Integrity Commission Act.