est. 2007

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Final Draft Of The Long Awaited Integrity Legislation Promised Soon

The implementation of Integrity Legislation and Freedom of Information Act are hot button issues. The Democratic Labour Party (DLP) leading into the last general election made it a platform issue. The DLP’s commitment to rolling out the two pieces of important legislation was made against a background of alleged rampant corruption by the previous administration…

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The implementation of Integrity Legislation and Freedom of Information Act are hot button issues. The Democratic Labour Party (DLP) leading into the last general election made it a platform issue. The DLP’s commitment to rolling out the two pieces of important legislation was made against a background of alleged rampant corruption by the previous administration and intimidation of the media in Barbados.

We are thankful to our reliable source for providing a status report on the long awaited Integrity and Freedom of Information Act:

After much back and forth by BFP and BU on the subject of Integrity Legislation and the Freedom of Information Act, I am indeed very pleased to report that a full suite of Legislation is being completed and so far the Cabinet has seen and has approved the New FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT with the drafting of the INTEGRITY LEGISLATION nearly complete. It is expected that circulation of both of these drafts will done prior to the Christmas break of Parliament and will be passed into law very shortly thereafter.

I trust that this will settle everyone’s nerves and will address the concerns of the people of Barbados, the government of Barbados, the Opposition of Barbados and both BU and BFP.

The DLP promised that they would address these issues and they are doing what is required to make this a reality but on the other hand, as was the case at BFP making a daily issue of it with their silly remarks has done nothing to hasten the pace at which the work of those involved in the drafting of the legislation can perform it has happened at its own pace. The work was carried by a group of well respected persons and it is hoped that at the end of it all that all the expectations will be served.

Not to be neglected is the new Freedom of Information Act this will present a whole new dimension to journalism and provide for more flexibility in their reporting and interviews.

I trust that this will assist in given you some idea as to how far along and how serious the Government is with these new pieces of legislation.

16 responses to “Final Draft Of The Long Awaited Integrity Legislation Promised Soon”

  1. David Avatar
    David

    We reiterate BU’s position on this matter.
    The government has done well in less than a year to put in place a process to formulate legislation in a measured way to govern what will be a complicated matter. The smallness of our society will make the roll out of integrity legislation very challenging. The unaudited declaration of personal financial statements by Leader of the Opposition and Former Prime Minister Owen Arthur has only sought to trivialize the process. This legislation will not only touch politicians but individuals in public office. We need to tread carefully. The former government had 14 years, perhaps longer if we include that the Tom Adams government dabbled with this issue as well. Henry Forde should have alot to say on this matter but he has been strangely silent.

  2. Tony Hall Avatar
    Tony Hall

    David,
    I agree. It is a step in the right direction. Everybody wants the gov’t to rush this matter but in a small society like Barbados the issue is complex and the gov’t is correct in taking its time to do it right once and for all.

  3. The People's Democratic Congress Avatar
    The People’s Democratic Congress

    Talk about integrity in public life!! We have recently been hearing that there is a DLP Cabinet Minister who has NOT too long ago got the contract to operate the canteen at the St. Leonard’s Boys’ Secondary School, at Richmond’s Gap, St. Michael. Too, we have also been hearing rumours that there is another DLP Cabinet Minister who has got control of four canteens in the secondary school system in Barbados.

    Moreover, we have also been hearing that – at the Rural Development Commission (RDC), the identical downright improprieties that were alleged by many Barbadians to have been taking place at the Urban Development Commission (UDC) under the last BLP Government, whereby there were some members of the UDC staff who were wretchedly unethically positioning themselves to and who did manage to improperly receive – UDC building, well digging and other kinds of contracts, are also said by some Barbadians to be developing at the Rural Development Commission under this present DLP Government.

    Very importantly, we hasten to make the point that although we in the People’s Democratic Congress at this stage are all for well drafted, very publicly debated and inspired, strongly enforced and policed Integrity Legislation, Anti-Corruption Legislation and Freedom of Information Legislation for Barbados, what we are however saying at this moment is that these kinds of legislation will be of little real beneficial effect on the proper and efficient functioning of government in relationship to other sectors in the country, UNLESS there is elected in Barbados A PDC led Government that shall enact various pieces of very far-reaching progressive legislation that shall make sure that:

    1) The State/Government NO LONGER STEALS – via TAXATION REGIMES -the relevant portions of the incomes of people, businesses and other entities in Barbados;

    2) The State/Government NO LONGER allows to exist in Barbados any kinds of INTEREST RATES REGIMES in the country;

    3) The State/Government NO LONGER allows people, businesses and other entities – having been able to get “THEIR OWN MONIES”/MONEY VALUES from financial institutions in Barbados – to be then later forced to REPAY “THEIR OWN MONIES”/MONEY VALUES PLUS MORE to the relevant damned financial institutions;

    4) That, the State/Government NO LONGER allows to exist in the country the trading in Motor Vehicle Insurance;

    5) The State/Government NO LONGER allows foreigners “to own” any land spaces in Barbados – ever inch of which must always remain in the hands of Barbadians;

    6) The State/Government NO LONGER itself compulsorily acquires (otherwise ROBS) others of their so-called land spaces; and,

    7) The State/Government NO LONGER allows to exist locally a very disgusting situation whereby present-day workers, supervisors and non-owner manager of companies and businesses are NOT Partners in these companies and businesses – companies and businesses which under aPDC Government will be converted into Partnerships; and,

    8) The State/Government NO LONGER wilfully deprives the people of this country of their status as the true sovereigns of this country – the people must be able to debate and pass the laws of this country in Constituency Assemblies though out this country.

    Finally, even with the “right” Integrity and Anti-Corruption and Freedom of Information laws passed in Barbados, it will be thereafter seen by many Barbadians that with their passage and even with their vigorous enforcement too, such will ONLY be necessary to help bring about a lower level of accountability, transparency and integrity in public life in Barbados, given that they will be mainly focused on preventing corrupt acts and accessing rightful public information, very much after the fact.

    But, by a PDC led Government implementing laws and standards in helping to bring about the aforementioned objectives, it will be seen by thousands upon thousands of Barbadians that these laws and standards shall be engineered to help bring about a far greater level of accountability, transparency and integrity in public life culture in Barbados than would be afforded by just having Integrity, Anti-Corruption and Freedom of Information legislation passed, by, et al, these same laws and standards helping to make sure that many of the causes of corrupt acts and causes of deficits in public information in Barbados are deal with frontally and systematically from causes to effects.

    PDC

  4. Wishing In Vain Avatar
    Wishing In Vain

    PDC has it ever crossed you mind to write a more concise contribution to BU and BFP ?

    Maybe then they would get read.

  5. Wishing In Vain Avatar
    Wishing In Vain

    The willingness and the URGENCY attached to bringing this law into place is very, very worthy of praise.

    Wow after the emptyness that was the trademark of the former blp gov’t this is one major leap for governance of this beautiful, wonderful island of ours.

  6. Wishing In Vain Avatar
    Wishing In Vain

    I also learnt recently from a former blp cabinet member that mottley has taken on the role as the blogger as eye95 as a means to achieve political mileage something that she is unable to achieve as the leader of the blp as she has no respect or status among her 7 remaining members, furthermore she lacks respect and lacks status for many obvious reason none moreso than her wicked,vicious, evil, because of her chosen life style as a woman beater lesbian, she cannot be trusted morally or financially by the people she is desireous of serving.

    I find more than strange that she mottley has avoided this BU website todate and has focused her rants and her raves over at BFP.

    I must thank KS for bringing this to light maybe this person is frustrated as well with mottley’s actions and is also turning their back on her.

  7. Global Voices Online » Barbados: Integrity Act

    […] Barbados Underground gives an update on the drafting of “the long awaited Integrity and Freedom of Information Act”. Posted by Janine Mendes-Franco  Print Version Share This […]

  8. Snake-in-the-grass Avatar
    Snake-in-the-grass

    @ Wishing In Vain // October 1, 2008 at 8:59 am. How dare you steal my post?

    I have, several times, attempted to say exactly what you did – “PDC has it ever crossed you mind to write a more concise contribution to BU and BFP ?

    Maybe then they would get read.”

    I confess however… you said it more succinctly than I could have articulated it.

    Thanks!

  9. David Avatar
    David

    Many barbadians have taken the simplistic approach by being sucked in by Opposition Leaders stunt of declaring her assets.

    The questions we asked Ms. Mottley is what yardstick did she use to determine her assets. For example does she jointly own property?

    Is she part of a trust?

    Many question can be asked but whats the use, the legislation still has to be passed to determine the criteria to be used to guide the declaration of assets.

  10. » Accountability and the New Hospital Keltruth Corp.: News Blog of Keltruth Corp. – Miami, Florida, USA.

    […] People’s Democratic Congress made a comment on Barbados Underground on October 1, 2008 at 8:16 am. Here is a […]

  11. Bimbro Avatar
    Bimbro

    but on the other hand, as was the case at BFP making a daily issue of it with their silly remarks has done nothing to hasten the pace at which the work of those involved in the drafting of the legislation can perform it has happened at its own pace.

    ******************

    Well said, BU!! Perhaps, now, BFP will cease their constant bleating-on like some demented oracle and actually, assist the govt. in getting this legislation right!! Although, I can’t claim to be confident that they will!!

  12. Wishing In Vain Avatar
    Wishing In Vain

    I eagerly await the drafts of the IL and FOI acts, I am sure that neither will be perfect on first attempt but rather that they should be seen as real and serious attempts to redraft the law regarding the FOI act and to create a law pertaining to IL.

    No longer a person like mottley can come and clown and trivialise the action and the intent of this requirement in the way she callously attempted to do.

    Simply put I noticed she never mentioned her share of the power boat tour business that she Dean Straker, and Foster own jointly in the document she produced.

  13. Wishing In Vain Avatar
    Wishing In Vain

    Bimbro, I am of the opinion that someone over there at that site must be gay or lesbian because there is nothing that drives them into a frenzy like the mention of mottley wild and wicked lesbian ways or that he is a vicious beater of women.
    Strangely enough these are well documented and known cases my feeling is if mottley who is doing the beating is not the least bit concerned about how it affects his name (I nearly said good name but then I remembered it was mottley that I was speaking of) then why should any of us be worried about speaking about his moraless life style openly?

    If it takes pleasure out of beating women to the point of having them admitted to hospital then I feel that he should be man enough to take the fallout of his actions.

  14. Bimbro Avatar
    Bimbro

    Thanks for addressing me, ‘WIV’, but, unfortunately, living overseas as I do, I’m not sufficently, well acquainted with the shenanigans to which u referred to understand much about them, in this instance, however, sadly, I, too, have started to have my doubts about BFP!!

    I guess that time will tell!! I suppose that ur still allowed to post there, so please do your duty to mother-country and keep a close eye on them!!

    Regards!!

  15. passin thru Avatar
    passin thru

    Wishing in Vain says that Mottley beating women is well documented.

    Could you provide the links to the documents or articles WIV?

    I have seen your not-fit-for-family comments here and at BFP but I’ve never seen any documentation about Mottley’s “biting” as you put it.

    Except what you say. Please give us the documents.

  16. Wishing In Vain Avatar
    Wishing In Vain

    I warned of the potential for serious breach of trust some months ago with regard to the City Of Bridgetown and their willingness and urgency to employ one CAROL as I said on this site before that Holder was instructed by her girlfriend mottley to give CAROL a job at the COB, to which she had no choice as we all know that birds of a feather flock together and we clearly know of the relationship of mottley, Roberts and Holder they are all mottley’s girls so no wonder mottley would apply pressure.

    Finding a job for a lesbian girlfriend is one thing it is another when you go out of your way to find work in a financial institution such as COB where many thousands of private citizens monies are in her charge and place that money at serious and grave risk by trying to fulfill the needs of your lesbian partners.

    Let me update you re the current situation with regard to one CAROL she is not a suitable honest person and not deserving of being near or around people’s money.

    If we backtrack a little with her we will remember her involvement as a so called contractor of bad work provided to the URBAN COMMISSION this was a post provided and facilitated by her friend mottley, where she was paid fin some cases for work that was never carried out or also for shoddy poor work that other contractors were paid a second time to correct.

    Strike two is SHE WAS ARRESTED AND SPENT A NIGHT IN PRISON FOR BAD DEBTS DUE TO Public Workers Credit Union.

    Strike three she was bailed out of PRISON by VIC FERNANDES and then fought with him and WAS FIRED FROM VOB.

    To this day she still has not paid off her debt to the other Public Workers Credit Union.

    NCF is yet another example of this things dishonest mind set it is reported to me that in instances of quotations being submitted to the NCF for various work, that she has been known to insert another zero in the quotation and then proceeded to arrange the kick back to herself.

    Now tell me are these the kind of traits that we want in a PERSON THAT IS HOLDING A POSITION OF TRUST IN A BANKING OPERATION ??

    It is made even worst by the fact that they are are so protective of each others affairs that even if she were to steal money from the COB she would expect Holder to cover for her.

    It should not be allowed to happen not with the money of poor Barbadians at risk, this woman is a dishonest fraud, who is known to freely distribute bounced cheques at will, now let us assume that while employed at CBC , the NCF and carrying out her contracting business if she felt it necessary to steal, then what say you now that she is having to live on one salary??

    MORE STEAL IN THERE!!!!!!

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