Speculation about the chairmanship of the Integrity Commission has arisen following word that chairman Ken Gordon is expected to meet with President Anthony Carmona this morning. The T&T Guardian received information that the meeting—at the President’s request —will take place at President’s House, St Ann’s, today.
President’s House has not yet announced any date for the swearing in of the new Integrity Commission members, who were announced last week. They are retired Justice Sebastien Ventour, opthalmologist Dr Shelly Ann Lalchan, engineer Deonarine Juggernath and Sieunarine Jokhoo, who served on the last commission and was reappointed.
Last week, it was indicated that the new commissioners would be sworn in early this week, before Carmona leaves on Thursday for a visit to Rome. The President is scheduled to meet Pope Francis at the Vatican on Saturday. But so far, President’s House has not said exactly when the appointments would be done—and yesterday word of the President’s meeting with Gordon arose. Contacted yesterday, Gordon had no comment on the meeting.
Prior to the announcement of the new commissioners, there had been controversy about Gordon’s continued operation as chairman, following concerns expressed by Government officials and other quarters about a meeting Gordon had at his home with Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley in May on an urgent matter. Various groups, including the Law Association, and several leading attorneys said the meeting, at which the Section 34 e-mails complaint Rowley had before the commission was discussed, was improper.
Rowley had said blame on the issue should be laid on him. Gordon, who had said he did nothing wrong, had issued a aide memoire explaining what took place at the meeting. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar subsequently met the President about the matter. Following the meeting of those parties, Gordon was reported as saying he was pondering his options, including the possibility of resigning from the commission.
Gordon, however, then issued a statement, again detailing the May 15 meeting with Rowley and standing by his actions. He also said, “Let me make it clear that I accept that in a perfect world the meeting with Dr Rowley ought to have taken place at the Office of the Integrity Commission with an officer present. But that world seldom exists. In the circumstances which existed on the May 15 meeting briefly with the Leader of the Opposition and recording what had transpired for the Commission’s attention was the rational thing to do.”
Gordon also emphasised that the decision to meet with Rowley was taken without regard to any form of partisan consideration and “was the fair and rational thing to do and it was not secret.” He said the meeting was held in full accordance with the Integrity in Public Life Act and a report on what took place at the meeting was made and preserved for the new commission when appointed, to ensure full transparency.
The new commissioners were announced immediately after that. Gordon was appointed to head the Commission on October 28, 2011 for a three-year term. His term is scheduled to end in October 2014.