IC Act contract gag to be lifted

Lawmakers reviewing the Integrity Commission Act (ICA) yesterday signalled that keeping government contracts and licences secret, as outlined in a restrictive provision of the anti-corruption law, does not serve the public interest.

Section 56(1) of the ICA mandates that individuals with official duties related to the law, including those employed by or involved in administering the act, must treat all information – such as statutory declarations, government contracts, prescribed licences, and other matters before the Commission – as secret and confidential.

In its submission to the joint select committee reviewing the ICA, the Integrity Commission (IC) argued that this provision, which prevents it from publishing government contracts and licences, should be amended. The IC stated that, after reviewing the law, it believes there should be a careful reconsideration of Section 56(1) to strike a better balance between protecting confidential matters and promoting openness and transparency, which are vital for anti-corruption efforts.

Before the IC replaced the Office of the Contractor General (OCG) and merged with two other parliamentary commissions, the OCG regularly published quarterly reports of government contracts and other public bodies’ agreements on its website. However, since the ICA was enacted, the IC has claimed that it is no longer allowed to publish such information.

Peter Bunting, a member of the joint select committee, argued that restricting the publication of government contracts “makes absolutely no sense”, especially when public documents related to government contracts are already accessible.

Government lawmaker Sherene Golding Campbell agreed, advocating for the amendment of the provision to ensure greater transparency regarding government contracts and licences.

Marlene Malahoo Forte, who chaired the committee yesterday, suggested that the clause in question should be revised to align with the original intent of the policy.

edmond.campbell@gleanerjm.com