Integrity Commission chairman Eric St Cyr yesterday confirmed a file on former finance minister Karen Tesheira has been sent to Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard for review and action. St Cyr, who spoke with reporters at the end of a Local Government Ministry briefing session on the Integrity in Public Life Act, at Cara Suites, Claxton Bay, said: "That matter has been concluded by the Integrity Commission and referred to the DPP." He declined to say anything further. Last week, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said the commission wrote to Minister of Transport Devant Maharaj, advising him his complaint against Tesheira, lodged since January 2009, had been referred to the DPP.
The complaint stemmed from conflict of interest allegations levelled by Maharaj against Tesheira, who was then PNM minister of finance and had presided over the Clico/CL Financial bailout. She was accused of prematurely breaking her fixed deposits at CL Financial subsidiary companies and using inside information to cash in the deposits. Yesterday St Cyr admitted that some 600 people in public life were yet to file declarations to the commission. "We have had about 1,200 so far this year and probably 600 outstanding for this year," he said. He said the commission was faced with a massive backlog of declarations. "We are working very hard. We are aiming to complete 1,600 this year and one more year like that we have cleared the backlog."
St Cyr denied the stringent requirements of the commission were a deterrent to people interested in serving in public life. However, he admitted filing declarations could be "scary." He said: "It is a formidable form but we are a well educated community. "We are a very sophisticated society and what we have to do is take the time and the sessions, like this one, that commission member Neil Rolingston has urged local government officials, including mayors, councillors and chairmen of regional corporations, to set the tone from the top." Referring the old adage that if the fish's head is rotten, the whole thing is spoiled, Rolingston said: "You want a clean, nice, fresh head. The way you do that is by creating a philosophy of good governance from the top. "You set the tone from the top, so if the top is rotten and there is conflict of interest from the top you can imagine what is going on (below)."
Rolingson urged local government officials to protect themselves by declaring their interests. He said: "If you believe there is a potential conflict of interest walk away. Declare your interest and walk away. "Don't hang around. From the time you hang around, or try to influence anyone in the room, there is the potential for a conflict of interest and you cannot hide that. It always blows up in your face." Another commissioner, Seunarine Jokhoo, assured the local government officials the information they provided in their declarations was safe since the commission was bound by an oath of secrecy. He said: "If anyone wants to play hanky-panky with your information, the culprit is liable to a $500,000 fine and ten years imprisonment." Jokhoo urged them to be guided by one thought: "Do the right thing and I think Trinidad and Tobago will be on the right path."