The Tribune

FREE National Movement leader Michael Pintard said the Davis administration should enact a suite of anti-corruption legislation, including a Public Anti-Corruption Act, a Public Officials Code of Conduct Act and an Integrity Commissions Act.

“The Integrity Commission would be an independent body fully empowered to investigate, report on, and –– where deemed appropriate –– recommend individuals for criminal sanction on matters related to allegations of public corruption,” he said.

 An Integrity Commission Bill was among the first the Minnis administration tabled in the House of Assembly in 2017. The bill would give the commission unprecedented and wide-ranging powers, allowing it to exercise powers similar to the Supreme Court during investigations and search and seizure powers typically reserved for the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF).

However, after running an anti-corruption election campaign, the Minnis administration failed to debate and pass the legislation.

In his press statement, Mr Pintard urged the Davis administration to update provisions related to the Office of the Auditor General to expand and entrench the powers of that office.

“The budgetary and human resources of the auditor general’s department should fall under the remit of the Parliamentary Services Commission as the office is not accountable to the executive branch of government,” he said. “The remit of the auditor general’s office must be expanded to expressly include Management audits and management process reviews.”

 Mr Pintard said the government should give a “firm and imminent time” for the debate and passage of the ombudsman bill.

 “There must be an ombudsman office fully staffed and established no later than March 2024,” he said.

 He also called on the government to set an appointment date for the full enactment of the Freedom of Information Act, saying the country must have full implementation by January 2024.

“Failures in accountability and transparency,” he said, “are strangling economic growth and national development.”

 “The PLP came to office with a documented electoral mandate to improve accountability and transparency,” he added. “But to them, that simply has meant more public relations and staged press events. Yet, this is not what it means to be fully accountable and transparent. We believe it is well beyond time for the government to give full life to the principles of open government.”

 Mr Pintard also urged the government to spur a “full and independent investigation” to immigration matters that have attracted headlines recently.

 In addition, he urged the administration to establish select parliamentary committees on immigration, crime, education, the collapse of FTX and economic empowerment.

 “Follow the Procurement Act and publish the details of all applicable public sector contracts,” he said. “The former Public Procurement Act (PPA) of 2021 and the current PPA of 2023 both require publication of the summary details of all government contracts awarded. It also requires an annual report on all contracts –– the first of which was due October 2022. It is a sign of utter contempt of the Bahamian people to openly break the law on an ongoing basis.”