Updated: PL describes Corruption Commission proposals as 'half-hearted' - PN reacts

The Labour party said today that amendments to the law meant to strengthen the Permanent Commission Against Corruption were 'half-hearted'.

In a statement in reaction to a press conference given by the Prime Minister this afternoon, the PL said its MPs would be moving their own amendments both to these proposals as well as to the Whistleblower Bill.

The party said it had taken the government 22 years to realise that the Commission against Corruption was ineffective. Throughout those years, the commission had lacked bite, it lacked resources, it lacked manpower and it lacked a budget. It also never found any corruption.

The government was now making a half-hearted attempt to strengthen it. But while it was being proposed that the chairman would be appointed by the President following a motion backed by two-thirds of the House, it would still be the Prime Minister who selected the other two members.

The proposals also called for the appointment of a Special Prosecutor, something which, the PL said, it had been proposing for 15 years.

The PL said it did not feel that these proposals went far enough and it would therefore move its own amendments in Parliament.

The party also noted that the government had proposed a Whistleblower Act after having opposed the idea for years. Here too, the PL said, its MPs would move their amendments to the Bill.

It said it was not impressed by the government's actions, especially if they followed what had taken place with regard to the Freedom of Information Act, where the most important clauses had still not be brought into force.

PN REACTION

The Nationalist Party in a reaction to the PL statement, said that Labour had a record of making unsubstantiated allegations of corruption, but the fight against corruption was not on its agenda.

It said the Labour Opposition had found an excuse to back out of the talks in the Select Commission on Democratic Change, which had been discussing transparency and measures to fight corruption.

Labour was saying it first proposed the appointment of a Special Prosecutor 15 years ago, but that period included a Labour administration when no such appointment was made.

Prior to being elected to power in 1996 the Labour Party had made many allegations of corruptions, but never proved any of them. Its purpose had only been mud-slinging, as was the case now, the PN said.