‘UNTENABLE’

MORE PRESSURE is building on the parliamentary leadership, on the Government side, to remove controversial lawmaker Everald Warmington from the Integrity Commission Oversight Committee (ICOC) and the joint select committee reviewing the Integrity Commission (IC) Act.

Jamaica’s single anti-corruption body yesterday issued a statement indicating that it would write to Edmund Bartlett, who chairs both committees, to make its position clear that Warmington should not continue to sit on the two committees.

The IC said the recommendation was made, among other things, in light of the preamble of the act, which states that the law is “to promote and enhance standards of ethical conduct for parliamentarians, public officials and other persons…”.

The IC contends that the former minister’s actions fall well short of standards and conduct that are becoming of a minister and parliamentarian.

The IC said it would also write to Speaker of the House Juliet Holness, suggesting that the Ethics Committee addresses the matter.

“This step is seen as essential to ensure that the issue is appropriately handled within the parliamentary framework.”

The Ethics Committee, among other things, is mandated to receive, investigate and report on any complaints of departures by members of the House from the Political Code of Conduct.

At its regular monthly meeting on Monday, the Board of the IC discussed recent statements made by Warmington, the former minister responsible for works, regarding the withholding of funds from a People’s National Party (PNP) councillor.

Warmington declared that he would starve PNP councillor-elect for the Old Harbour South division, Dr Kurt Waul, of funds to carry out work in his division.

At the same time, he pledged to allocate funds to the defeated candidate of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), Lloyd Grant.

WARMINGTON’S STATEMENT

Addressing JLP supporters in his St Catherine South West Constituency recently, Warmington said: “A me in charge yah suh. I am the minister of works and the member of parliament. Nuh PNP councillor gwine spend my money.”

In a news release yesterday, Mickel Jackson, executive director of Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ), reiterated the organisation’s call for Warmington to be removed from the parliamentary committees.

Jackson argued that Warmington’s statements are deemed to breach the political code of conduct and undermine the constitutional right to vote, making his presence on these committees contradictory to the principle of true accountability and integrity needed for public office.

The JFJ is also urging the Electoral Commission of Jamaica to clarify whether investigations are ongoing regarding Warmington’s actions and to outline potential courses of action, in light of its recent assumption of the ombudsman role.

“If one is to appreciate the significance of upholding integrity and accountability in all levels of governance, then one will appreciate that Mr Warmington’s continued presence on these committees is untenable,” Jackson said.

Late last week, Anglican Archbishop of the West Indies and Bishop of Jamaica and The Cayman Islands, Dr Howard Gregory, said Warmington was unfit to remain as a member of the ICOC and the joint select committee reviewing the IC law.

Lloyd B. Smith, former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives and political commentator, said also that Warmington’s utterances as member of parliament, and in his then capacity as minister with responsibility for works, should disqualify him from remaining on the parliamentary committees.

edmond.campbell@gleanerjm.com