The new appointees to the Integrity Commission will be sworn in at President’s House, St Ann’s, this morning. A release issued yesterday by the Office of the President stated the ceremony was scheduled to start at 10.30 am. It was issued minutes after President Anthony Carmona met with commission chairman Ken Gordon, who remained in office after the terms of the other previous commissioners expired in March. Gordon’s term ends next year.
Yesterday’s meeting was held in the wake of continued objections to Gordon’s decision to remain at the helm of the commission. Gordon has been under attack from Government officials, including Attorney General Anand Ramlogan, for meeting at his Glencoe home with Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley five days before Rowley presented an unsuccessful motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. After yesterday’s meeting, a smiling Gordon waved to the reporters assembled outside President’s House, wishing them a good day.
Several efforts by the T&T Guardian to reach him for comment later proved unsuccessful. No information was released about the matters discussed in the 90-minute meeting. The new commissioners named last week are retired Justice Sebastian Ventour, Deonarine Jaggernauth, Dr Shelly-Anne Lalchan and Seunarine Jokhoo, who has been reappointed for a second term.