The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

ALTHOUGH the government’s proposed Independent Commission of Investigations Bill would create a body with jurisdiction over nearly all senior public officials, expanding beyond its initial focus on law enforcement, Matt Aubry, executive director of the Organisation for Responsible Governance (ORG), insists that an Integrity Commission Bill introduced but not passed by the Minnis administration is still necessary to proactively prevent corruption, rather than investigate it after the fact.

The Independent Commission of Investiations Bill, tabled in the House of Assembly on Wednesday, proposes the establishment of an institution tasked with investigating allegations of corruption, abuse of power, and serious criminal offences.

The commission would have the authority to summon witnesses, collect evidence, and conduct hearings, with its findings potentially referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions for criminal prosecution. It would also be required to submit annual reports to Parliament.

Unlike an earlier version, which focused only on law enforcement agencies such as the police force and defence force, the version tabled on Wednesday expands the commission’s jurisdiction to include Members of Parliament, Permanent Secretaries, senior officials in government agencies, and state-owned enterprises.

While welcoming this expanded scope, Mr Aubry maintained that a separate Integrity Commission is still needed.

“The scope of this bill really kicks in when allegations have been made and what the Integrity Commission, as it was tabled in the last administration and when you look at best practices, tends to do is approach anti-corruption in a very proactive and holistic way — not just the investigation, but also identifying potential gaps and risk areas and ensuring existing policies are working together,” he said.

He pointed to Jamaica, where both an Integrity Commission and a separate investigative body exist, handling different aspects of governance.

“You still could make a case that there’s an important role for a commission that looked at the whole approach to what anti-corruption is,” he said. “Because the truth is, not only do corrupt practices reduce the government’s capacity to achieve its objectives, they reduce trust. And even the perception of corruption can be really destructive, particularly to economic confidence.”

The Davis administration strengthened the Independent Commission of Investigation bill and heightened its focus on the legislation after an explosion federal indictment last year alleged that the Royal Bahamas Police Force had facilitated cocaine smuggling into the United States.

Mr Aubry argued that true reform requires more than just an investigative body, stressing the need for coordination between laws, policies, and oversight mechanisms. He noted that while the bill strengthens accountability, it does not fully address gaps in the system, particularly in ensuring that existing anti-corruption measures are properly enforced.

“I think that there still becomes necessity for a larger, maybe more proactive body. We also have to spend work on ensuring that the things that we already have in place now are fully enacted, fully enforced, and really look at how they complement each other,” he said.

While the bill expands the investigative scope of the commission, Mr Aubry emphasised that several key governance challenges remain unaddressed. He pointed to the fact that the Freedom of Information Act is still not fully enacted, an Ombudsman has yet to be established, and procurement transparency remains an issue.

The bill outlines penalties for obstruction and interference in investigations, with fines of up to $10,000 or imprisonment for up to five years. Additionally, it includes protections for whistleblowers and witnesses to encourage reporting of corruption without fear of retaliation.

Mr Aubry called for public consultation to refine the bill and ensure it meets its intended goals. He urged citizens, business owners, and youth leaders to engage in discussions, adding that the perspectives of vulnerable communities, who often experience corruption firsthand, must be reflected in the final version.