Judge (retired) Seymour Panton has urged members of the Integrity Commission (IC) to bravely carry out their responsibilities in line with the law, declaring that he would not be frightened by threats and jabs aimed at the commissioners and personnel of the anti-corruption organization.
The IC chairman’s comments are contextualized against the following social media message, which was delivered on Saturday to IC Director of Investigations Kevon Stephenson: “Yes! Nasty PNP bwoy yu must go down old germs’, a comment Panton described as being designed to drive fear into the heart of the director.”
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Speaking to Dr. Horace Chang, Minister of National Security, the IC chairman claimed to have brought up the issue.
According to the minister of national security, if the investigation’s director felt endangered, the police should look into it and then notify him.
Stephenson recently said to reporters that he will file an official police complaint.
Panton claimed in a recent interview that prominent politicians had also made disparaging remarks about the IC commissioners.
Panton claimed to have received notification of one such WhatsApp message.
“It is clear to me and until I see evidence to the contrary, there are members [politicians] … who are saying things and doing things that are causing their supporters … to be acting in the way they are doing by threatening and libeling members of the commission as well as employees of the commission,” Panton stated.
According to him, the disparaging remarks were not spoken in Parliament.
“I will not be intimidated by any of them,” Panton said, even as he expressed concern that their well-thinking colleagues “have been silent. They are silent concerning the attacks and the libel. They are very silent”.
Further, Panton charged that a member of parliament from a rural parish had also circulated “the images of myself and the directors with a scandalous statement that we are trying to bring down either the Government or the prime minister. That is the subject of legal consideration at the moment”.
The purported tweet was allegedly uploaded on September 17 following Prime Minister Andrew Holness’s address to Parliament about his statutory declarations. The Native Gleaner has received a screenshot of the post. Holness’s remarks followed the IC’s investigative report being tabled, which was forwarded for examination to the Financial Investigations Division and Tax Administration Jamaica.
Four commission members were included in the article along with their photographs, which said they were “attempting to bring down Prime Minister Andrew Holness and his government.”
When The Gleaner contacted the politician who was allegedly behind the tweet, he said, “I’ve never heard of this before.”
Chang, the general secretary of the governing Jamaica Labour Party and deputy prime minister, was questioned about Panton’s concerns.
He emphasized, “There is nothing from the Integrity Commission that I comment on.”
Claims that members of an independent committee established to look into corruption were trying to topple an administration, according to an attorney-at-law who wished to remain anonymous, are significant accusations that, if confirmed, may be considered acts of subversion, subject to severe punishments.
Claims of subversion, he argued, should not be taken lightly, particularly in the absence of hard proof.
Executive Director of Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ), Mickel Jackson, stated that while news of threats against the IC and its personnel is extremely worrying, it is unfortunately not surprising.
Jackson stated, “We have observed alarming comments made by some parliamentarians, cloaked in the security of parliamentary privilege, that suggest a witch-hunt by the IC or imply undue political affiliations.”
She issued a warning, stating that further derogatory comments made by political affiliates on social media are not only impolite but also harmful to the credibility of the anti-corruption organization.
“While we acknowledge that the IC is not above criticism and should be subjected to critique as we hold them to account, it is vital to ensure that government officials do not create an impression of undermining this essential institution,” Jackson told the reporter.
According to Jackson, the current state of affairs supports the JFJ’s unwavering position that the IC has to be firmly established by the constitution in order to protect it from the whims of political meddling while it does its legitimate functions.
She reasoned that rather than making provocative remarks that would instigate assaults, parliamentarians should seek judicial review if they have valid reservations about the IC’s judgments.
Jackson urged the IC to carry out its duties fearlessly while putting the required safeguards in place to protect the officers.
Greg Christie, the executive director of the IC, stated that following a prominent blogger’s invitation for people to demonstrate against the IC at its New Kingston headquarters last week, the commission strengthened its security measures.
“Let’s stand up for our prime minister, stand up to bullies, misinformation, lies, and a corrupt IC,” the subsequently deleted social media message stated.
As far as the gleaner is aware, four or five people showed up at the IC headquarters with placards. But lack of support seems to cause the demonstration to end soon after.
“These threats are intended to intimidate us into fear and inaction. But they will not work. We must not allow this to happen. We must be forthright and resolute in the continued discharge of our responsibilities and our oath of office, in the interest of our beloved country and our fellow citizens,” presents a passage taken from a letter written by Panton to the employees of the IC.
