The Deputy Prime Minister’s hands are clean.
That’s the view of Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley who dismissed calls for the firing of Santia Bradshaw over a personal cheque being made out to her for a sum of $7 500 by a local civil engineering company.
In her first national address of the year on Saturday, Mottley sought to dispel any notion that Bradshaw broke the law. The Prime Minister stressed, “There has been no criminal behaviour, there has been no breach on the part of the Deputy Prime Minister of any law, and there is nothing that merits her dismissal.”
Mottley added that the cheque was not solicited by Bradshaw, and it was not cashed.
“If I was in another place, I would say to you on both counts …case closed,” Mottley said.
The issue came to light in a recent court case in which Tyrone St Elmo Holford was accused of breaking into the constituency office of St Michael South East and stealing the cheque which was written by Errol Clarke Associates and attempting to cash it.
Mottley also hit back at Democratic Labour Party leader Ronnie Yearwood who called for the Deputy Prime Minister to be sacked.
She claimed that Dr Yearwood was seeking a “political equalizer,” but none would be found in this matter as Bradshaw did no wrong.
Dr Yearwood claimed that Bradshaw had run afoul of the Integrity In Public Life Act, which states public officials must disclose gifts exceeding $2 500 to the Integrity Commission.
However, Bradshaw who is the Minister of Transport stated that the cheque was part of a charitable contribution to her annual Christmas hamper programme.
Proclamation of Integrity in Public Life Bill
Mottley also responded to questions about why there has been no proclamation of the Integrity in Public Life Bill.
“Let us be very clear this act has only been there for 5 months.
The act requires the establishment of a new commission… The establishment of any new entity after the passage of legislation takes considerable time, especially in small states where the same people are involved in multiple jobs and activities,” she said.
