Whistleblowers welcome
Come clean! That’s the call from Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley to those who engaged in or know about any transgressions that took place in Government.
She was speaking yesterday morning in the House of Assembly, as the debate resumed on the Integrity in Public Life Bill. She said the Bill is critical not only to the tone of the Government, but the integrity and health of the country, and she is hoping that when it finally passed, hopefully by October this year, it will have a stronger whistleblower component contained in it.
Mottley explained that while the legislation touches on whistle-blowing in part, she believes when it goes to the Joint Select Committee, that aspect should be beefed up. Her comments came as she explained that any immunity offered to whistleblowers would only be for past transgressions, would not extend to those of an ongoing or future nature.
“This [Bill] will come to govern the conduct of public officials across the spectrum going forward and the country therefore must take this decision with its eyes wide open, conscious that in the initial stages there may be a fall off in those who want to give public service, but confident that in the medium- to long-term that there would be a recognition that this is inextricably linked to positions of trust, whether in Government, the church or non-governmental organisations or indeed private employment. And I hope therefore that we can move forward with a level of confidence and we can instil in its stronger provisions for whistle-blowing,” she said.
PM Mottley added, “We want to have the protection that we would not be prosecuted for coming forward to say these transgressions took place, and that we need the immunity to be able to clothe us so that we can put this behind us.”
Contending that it is better to come forward and confess upfront what they know, the Prime Minister made it clear that Attorney General Dale Marshall is available to take and to listen to anyone, who recognises that “there is a come to Jesus moment that ought to happen for some people in this country”. She added then, that pending the passage of the legislation such persons may want to give sealed statements to the Attorney General on their respective matters.
“Because we have to put this behind us at some point and it is always better in the case of a family disciplining its own, in the case of a person going before the law courts this morning; for you to say an incident has happened, it is something with which I am familiar, it is something with which I have had a part to play, but I wish now to beg for forgiveness and to move on. That is the best way; it is the least expensive way,” she told the Lower House.
Reiterating the appeal for persons having knowledge of wrong-doings to make it known, she urged them to examine their conscience, come forward and ask for forgiveness. She warned though that where persons who were part of the same transaction choose not to come forward and are then found out, they will feel the full weight of the law. (JRT)