Chuck urges lawmakers to withhold certain information from IC

The Integrity Commission (IC) may find it a bit more challenging as it investigates parliamentarians as a senior Government minister has admitted that he has told fellow lawmakers not to provide certain information if/when requested by the anti-corruption body.

The Minister of Justice, Delroy Chuck, said Tuesday that he has told Members of Parliament not to divulge the salaries of their spouses or children to the IC whenever it requests the information. He made the unsolicited admission during a meeting of the Parliament’s Integrity Commission Oversight Committee.

Chuck also wants limits to be placed on the IC, a Commission of Parliament, as to what it can investigate.

As far as he’s concerned, the salary of a spouse or child is their personal business which they cannot be compelled to share. He claimed some MPs have asked him if it is right for the IC to be requesting information regarding the salary of their spouse and children.

“Why is the Integrity Commission asking members to indicate the salaries of their spouse or sometimes of their children? I don’t know if this is something that is appropriate because I have advised the relevant members, let them know your spouse is not prepared to divulge their salary... and therefore he or she cannot so report it,” Chuck said.

“These are things that when we get back to the legislation (which is under review) we have to make it very clear what limits can be put in terms of investigations,” he added.

He admitted to being well aware that the IC, during the course of an investigation, asks for information from banks, companies, the Registrar of Titles among other entities. “We need to find out just how far the Integrity Commission goes in terms of investigating,” he remarked.