by Linda Straker
Lady Anande Trotman-Joseph is the new chairperson of the Integrity Commission. She replaces Justice Monica Joseph whose term of duty ended earlier in the year and decided not to renew her contract for health reasons.
Trotman-Joseph was serving as deputy Chair of the Commission. The Integrity Commission is an independent body established by the Integrity in Public Life Act (Act No.24 of 2013), which authorises the Commission to oversee the provisions of the Integrity in Public Life Act and the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The purpose of the Commission is to improve governance through ensuring integrity in public life, to obtain declarations of assets, liabilities, income and interests in relation to persons in public life, and to give effect to the provisions of the Inter-American Convention against Corruption, to which Grenada is a signatory.
At the 35th Meeting of the Committee of Social Partners (CSP), held on 10 March 2017, a team from the Integrity Commission (IC), led by Lady Avril Anande Trotman-Joseph, Chairperson of the IC, presented a comprehensive report on the work of the Commission.
A news release from the CSP said that at the meeting, discussion emanating from the presentation included: The role and importance of the Integrity Commission in Grenada and the region; Achievements of the Grenada Integrity Commission and Grenada’s recent ranking by Transparency International and the steps being taken to address same.
The release said that obligations arising from Grenada’s ratification of the OAS Inter-American Convention Against Corruption, and more recently, the United Nations Convention Against Corruption; and the Integrity in Public Life Act and the Prevention of Corruption Act were also discussed along with Declaration of assets, income and liabilities, by public officials
Other matters discussed at the meeting were:
- The exportation of fish and issues related to same, which was led by Hon. Alvin Da Breo, Minister responsible for Fisheries;
- The content of local talk show programmes;
- Government/Union negotiations;
- The National Plan 2030;
- Issues pertaining to the Blue Economy; and
- Vending and the aesthetics of streets in the town of St George
The CSP meets on a monthly basis and is chaired by Prime Minister, Dr the Rt Hon. Keith Mitchell. The CSP is comprised of representatives of the private sector, the trade unions, the non-governmental organisations, the Conference of Churches in Grenada, the Association of Evangelical Churches, and Government. As of 1 March 2017, youth representatives from the Conference of Churches in Grenada, the Association of Evangelical Churches, and the Ministry of Youth, became members of the CSP.
