The fifth meeting of the Joint Select Committee on the Integrity in Public Life Bill scheduled for the Senate Chamber today was postponed due to the absence of the Bill’s drafts person.
Chairman of the Committee, Attorney General Dale Marshall, informed members he was not going to call the meeting to order “because the drafts person Mrs Eli is ill and this is only now coming to my attention”.
Marshal informed the committee that he had intended “to start work on the draft itself” today, but said: “I can’t see how we can proceed unless we have the drafts person here.”
Members of the public representing various interests have appeared before the committee during the previous meetings and made their submissions, while others have done so online.
The Integrity in Public Life Bill 2018 was in July committed by the House of Assembly to a Joint Select Committee made up of seven members of the House and four members of the Senate, for consideration.
One of the terms of reference is: “To enquire and determine whether the Bill as drafted, effectively fulfils the expressed objects of promoting and maintaining the integrity of persons in public life and the prevention, detection and prosecution of acts of corruption.”
The next meeting of the Joint Select Committee is scheduled for Friday. (GC)
