Register of Interests should be fully public, says Skelton

Opposition Leader Ronnie Skelton said he believes the Register of Interests should be public for both lawmakers and public servants.

The Register of Interests is a record of the financial interests of legislators. It allows them to publicly declare any private interests that conflict with or may appear to conflict with, their public duties.

The Commission of Inquiry (COI) report revealed that lawmakers were failing to declare their interests. It also recommended that public servants be added to the register, but this measure has faced significant opposition.

Lawmakers are currently considering amendments to strengthen the legislation and ensure public servants are included. However, a debate has arisen over whether further consultations are needed before proceeding.

“The bill is also considering adding public servants to the register, but [making it] only accessible to the Governor and the Deputy Governor,” Skelton stated recently. “We don’t agree with this. If they have to be included in the register, then it should be either all public or all private. But we are for a public register.”

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has suggested that any necessary changes to the proposed bill should be made administratively during the committee stage in the House of Assembly. This is where lawmakers meet in private to discuss the bill.

In the meantime, Sixth District Representative Myron Walwyn has accused the government of bringing a poorly drafted bill to the House of Assembly for consideration. He argued that the bill lacks details on enforcement measures and other crucial information.

“Does the request to register include family members and to what degree? What are the sanctions in the event a public officer does not comply on time or does not comply at all?” Walwyn asked. “These are all questions that the public officers have, which confirms the assertion that there was not adequate consultation on the bill.”

Walwyn said that while he supports good governance, he strongly believes that key decisionmakers who handle government resources should be held accountable for their stewardship.