Bring corruption before courts!

Charges of corruption must be brought before the court in a timely manner.

Minister in the Ministry of Finance Ryan Straughn insisted this is a critical step to gaining public confidence and having more members of the public come forward to speak up against perpetrators of corruption.

“When a case actually reaches a threshold where it can go to court, it is now how long does it take for people to feel that justice,” he said.

“I know that with the trial for the former member of St James South, a lot of people were watching not just the efficiency for lack of a better term, but people were seemingly impressed with the short space of time within which the case was brought and heard. This now gives us the framework to be able to do some of that, and I hope some of the reforms will ensure that once a credible case is brought for anybody, that it can get through the court system in a reasonable time so that people can see and feel justice is served,” he stated.

Admitting there are gaps within the Prevention of Corruption Bill 2021, the Minister told the Lower House these will be filled in by additional legislation in the future.

Joining the debate earlier this week, he stressed the legislation as it currently stands was the foundation upon which a stronger framework will be built.

The MP for Christ Church East Central also took the time to address the sometimes controversial matter of public procurement and the awarding of contracts.

“I want to say to the people of Barbados that for the last three and a half years, we have been dealing with some of these egregious contracts in very serious way to ensure that the public services are not compromised, that the management of the fiscal affairs of this country is not compromised and that we can chart a path that will not see the taxpayer taken advantage of,” he stressed.

He continued” While we have not concluded the work of the new legislation as it relates to procurement, we would ensure for critical infrastructure and projects of the government with respect to some state-owned enterprises that we would establish a college of negotiators to ensure that the  principles of good governance would apply and that nobody would be taken advantage of with respect to the execution of these contracts.”