INTEGRITY ISSUE 3 • SEP 2013 IN ACTION A Newsletter of The Integrity Commission INTEGRITY COMMISSIONERS: (L - R) Standing: Mr. Deonarine Jaggernauth, Mr. Justice Sebastian Ventour (Deputy Chairman), Mr. Seunarine Jokhoo, Sitting: Mr. Kenneth Gordon (Chairman), Dr. Shelly-Anne Lalchan Do Right Champions Competition 2013 The Best Short Story, Report, Monologue or Speech Band ROUND 3 wins IPad Minis and First Citizens nEo Accounts INTEGRITY ACTION IN Independence of the Integrity Commision our members of the Integrity Commission the Integrity Commission: F were appointed by His Excellency Anthony • Justice Sebastian Ventour Thomas Aquinas Carmona, S.C. in a swearing-in (Retired high court judge) ceremony at his oce on July 2nd 2013. • Mr. Seunarine Jokhoo “My gratitude and that of the nation to these (Reappointed member) four new members for making themselves • Mr. Deonarine Jaggernauth available to serve in public oce, especially at • Dr. Shelly-Anne Lalchan a time when many qualified citizens pay lip-service to nationhood and to the spirit and “In our Westminster form of governance, one dictates of the Constitution and the law,” the cannot understate the importance of indepen- President said. dent Commissions as institutions undergirding The Commissioners took their Oath of Oce our democracy. These apolitical bodies have in the presence of Speaker of the House of been established in order to provide checks to Representatives the Hon. Wade Mark, Leader of the exercise of executive power within our state the Opposition, Dr. the Hon. Keith Rowley, and to thereby promote transparency, account- Integrity Commission Chairman Kenneth ability and the general observance of demo- Gordon, their spouses and members of the cratic principles and values. News Media. Apologies for absence were “According to Section 5 (2) (a) of the Integ- received from the Hon. Prime Minister who was rity in Public Life Act, at the International Labour Organisation meet- ing of Caribbean Ministers of Labour at the “In the exercise of its powers and performance Hilton Hotel and Conference Centre and the of its functions under this Act, the Commission- Hon. Chief Justice Ivor Archie who was engaged (a) shall not be subject to the direction or in a major appeal involving counsel from abroad. control of any other person or authority.” President Carmona explained that the term of It is therefore noteworthy that while appointed four of the five members of the previously by the President, the members of the Indepen- constituted Integrity Commission (Madame dent Commissions are not “the President’s men Justice Gladys Gafoor; Neil Rolingson; Professor and women”. Their independence is sacrosanct. Ann-Marie Bissessar and Seunarine Jokhoo) came to an end on March 14th, 2013 - 4 days “All new members were comprehensively vetted before he assumed oce. by the (Police) Special Branch and they have He added: “In the past several weeks and advised the President that “there is neither months, I have interviewed scores of citizens criminal nor adverse security information and have consulted the Hon. Prime Minister against any of the appointees.” They are there- and the Hon. Leader of the Opposition. I am fore, in keeping with Section 4 (1) of the Integ- today happy to be in a position to administer rity in Public Life Act, deemed to be “persons of the Oath of Oce to the four new members of integrity and high standing.” Integrity in Action is published by the Communications Department of The Integrity Commission of Trinidad and Tobago 2 THE COMMISSIONERS Mr. Kenneth Gordon assumed duties as Caribbean Communications Network (CCN). He Chairman replacing Dr. Eric St. Cyr in November was also instrumental in the establishment of a 2011. Mr. Gordon has had a long and number of regional media houses in Guyana, distinguished career in business. A former Jamaica and Barbados. A former Senator and a chairman of Neal and Massy Holdings he has keen sportsman he was once president of the had considerable interests in the media, West Indies Cricket Board. serving as managing director of the Trinidad Express Newspapers and CEO and Chairman of Justice Sebastian Ventor has had a Disciplinary Committee. For the past 22 years distinguished 34-year legal career. He was Justice Ventor (retired) lectured at the Hugh Senior Partner at the law firm of Fitzwilliam, Wooding Law School. Stone, Furness-Smith and Morgan and a Judge in the Supreme Court of Trinidad and Tobago for 14 years. He served at the Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago, both as Secretary and as a Member of the Seunarine Jokhoo is a returning member of the Disciplinary Committee of the Institute of the Integrity Commission, having previously Chartered Accountants of Trinidad and Tobago and been appointed to serve a three-year term on has worked in the private sector as Financial March 15, 2010. A chartered accountant, he has Controller of Amar Holdings Limited, General a 35-year history of committed public service Manager and Director of the Citrus Growers from which he retired as Director of State Association and Executive Chairman of National Enterprises and Acting Permanent Secretary in Fisheries Company Limited. An avid farmer, he the Ministry of Trade and Industry. He is on has chaired and served on numerous State boards. Deonarine Jaggernauth, a Petroleum and Member Award in 2005. A part-time Environmental Engineer, has given 33 lecturer at the University of Trinidad and years of service to the Petroleum Tobago (UTT), he is Vice President of the Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited TRINTOC Penal Credit Union and a (Petrotrin), formerly TRINTOC. He has lay-minister at the St. Benedict’s Roman published many papers and received Catholic Church. several awards including the Society of Petroleum Engineers’ Distinguished Dr. Shelly-Anne Lalchan a leading ophthal- career practising in the United Kingdom, she is mologist and surgeon, is a Fellow of The Royal currently in private practice. She is an Associate College of Ophthalmologists, Member of the Lecturer in Postgraduate Ophthalmology with American Academy of Ophthalmologists, the University of the West Indies at the Eric Member of the International Society of Williams Medial Sciences Complex. Dr. Lalchan Glaucoma Surgery and founder of the West is engaged in social work in her professional Indian Society of Glaucoma Surgeons (WINGS). area of expertise. Having spent the majority of her medical 3 ION T C A INTEGRITY IN LET’S DO THE RIGHT THING ALWAYS Send us your story Maybe you've seen first-hand how misfortune and accidents can rip apart a family and a community. Or maybe you are concerned about the negative things you hear on radio or see on the television. The Integrity Commission invites you to make “doing the right thing always” a National Mission, one that resonates throughout our nation. Integrity cannot exist where there is corruption, and corrupt societies self-destruct. You are invited to share your story or point of view and inspire others to “do the right thing always.” Stories must not be more than 350 words. Please insert your name, address and telephone number. Join us in the call to serve this beautiful country of ours with all its transient controversy, its varied and talented people and its excitement and charm – let’s DO THE RIGHT THING ALWAYS. ANSWERS TO Q&AYOUR QUESTIONS We have produced a Handbook entitled “Frequently Asked Questions” which provides answers to many of the questions likely to arise about the Integrity Com- mission and its operations. These handbooks are being widely distributed to schools, persons in public life, public ocers and interested parties. The Commission recently presented copies of the Handbook to Mr. Bhadase Seetahal-Maraj, Project Man- ager at the Ministry of Education for onward distribution to secondary schools. School Principals in need of additional copies may contact the Commission’s Communication Department at telephone 624-4736 or 625-2392 Extension 240 or 293. Do the right thing always… keep it as a way of life and let that be the guide as to how you live. 4 It is compulsory for all members and ocers of Persons in Public Life to fill KNOW YOUR FORMS: the Tobago House of out and submit annually by Assembly.” He added: “We May 31 a Form A and a Form PARTNER ask ourselves…is it that the B to the Integrity Commis- Integrity Commission sion. The necessity for the considers itself guardians Forms and how to fill them or partners in good gover- out pose a challenge to IN GOOD nance? Is the Integrity some persons and it is in this Commission an organisa- regard that the Registrar GOVERNANCE tion whose main purpose to and employees of the Com- catch persons doing the mission recently held a wrong things or collaborate series of seminars to appraise Persons in Public to ensure that we do the right thing always? Life of their obligations under the Integrity in That question is answered today as we Public Life Act, IPLA. witness the Commission disseminating and During the “Know Your Forms” seminars the sharing vital information in a manner that Commission’s Registrar Martin Farrell, Leigh- facilitates and synchronises expectations so Ann Benjamin and Christopher Ramsey of the we do not have unpleasant surprises. Expec- Compliance Division explained the process of tations can be met if in the course of the obtaining the Forms and the importance of journey we share information.” completing and submitting the Forms in a Mr London added: “it is interesting and timely manner. The annual requirement and perhaps fortunate that the “Know Your processing helps in ensuring compliance with Forms” session takes place “when there are no the requirements of the IPLA and emphasises Commissioners in the Oce of the Integrity the importance for all Persons in Public Life to Commission because a lot of time we judge act with integrity and to make ethical decisions the Commission by the Commissioners… we as trust and confidence is critical to success.