Commentary

This newspaper just recently repeated its support for the decision of the People's National Party to establish an integrity commission to vet its candidates and officers, but urged transparency in its operations.

We renew our call, for instance, that it publishes the fit-and-proper criteria by which it will judge candidates, and that it declare how it will balance the party's internal interest with the public's reasonable expectation of information on the causes of its action.

The commission has an early test which will likely determine people's perception of its ability to do the job.

Mr Colin Campbell recently withdrew his proposed parliamentary candidacy because of the suggestion by the contractor general that he be criminally charged for obstructing the Trafigura investigation. The big test will be whether Mr Campbell will be allowed to contest an election if the director of public prosecutions does not, in fact, charge him.

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