Early in 2008 BU family members would have read comments on BU which suggested that some murky practices were being practiced by some at the Coastal Zone Management Unit (CZMU). The revelation this week that the Director of Public Prosecutions Charles Leacock has handed a file over to the Commissioner of Police for investigation we find interesting. The action to prosecute Dr. Leo Brewster appears to be supported by a Special Audit which was recently undertaken by the Auditor General of Barbados.
The incumbent Democratic Labour Party (DLP) ran a platform last election to root out corruption in government and to prosecute those deemed to be guilty of malfeasance. The DLP whether to feed on the publics perception of corruption in the former government or a genuine need to create transparency in government, promised to implement Integrity Legislation (IL) and Freedom of Information (FOI) within 100 days of assuming government. It is approaching the mid-term or two and half years since assuming office and last report is; the draft IL and FOI bills are stuck in a Cabinet sub-committee. Recent mouthings by Prime Minister David Thompson and Chairman of the body responsible for submitting drafts on the IL and FOI bills suggests there is infrastructure which has to be established before IL and FOI can be proclaimed. Additionally the Prime Minister has expressed his wish to learn from other jurisdiction in the region who have struggled to implement similar legislation.
The decision to investigate and possibly prosecute Director of the CMZU Leo Brewster supports the need to implement IL. The desire by the Prime Minister to have the scope of the legislation widened to cover non government personnel is worthy. The government is the biggest contractor of goods and services in Barbados.
The coming to light of corruption at the CMZU is interesting. The bold-face manner in which the Auditor General described how the criminal act was perpetrated, BU is of the sound belief we have others in and out of government who have conspired and continue to defraud the government and by extension the taxpayers of Barbados. We hope the Brewster case is not being orchestrated as a one-off to satisfy an election promise. BU look forward to several more prosecutions. For too long Barbadians have been disrespected by elected and non-elected officials who have acquired unexplained wealth.
The current challenge of managing a 2×3 economy has probably distracted the government from delivering on some of the promises made on the last election platform. We say tough! The government may be able to dodge a few of the promises made come next general election but rolling out IL, FOI and a managed migration policy are three which will surface come next election if still outstanding in the opinion of BU.
Will the system conspire to see Dr. Brewster go free? Only time will tell.
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