Governor Adrian Davis
A press release from the Governor’s office has informed that the Complaints Commission held its first meeting on February 6 and 7, 2013. According to the press release, the meeting discussed the legislation, which will govern the operations of the Commission.
These Commissions are the Mercy, the Electoral, the Complaints, and the Integrity Commissions.
Governor Davis at his last press conference of Jan. 25, acknowledged that there are no good reasons why these four Commissions created in the Montserrat 2010 Constitution have not all been setup. “The Complaints and Integrity commissions will be setup by the end of the financial year, but it’s taken too long and there isn’t any excuse,” he said initially.
That was after he explained as follows: “The Mercy Commission has been setup, but has not had to consider any pleas for mercy. Governor explains Commissions delays
“The Electoral Commission has not yet been setup, but for various procedural problems one of which we’re going to sort out today, (one member had to retake the oath).
“The Complaints and Integrity Commissions have suffered delays for which there are excuses, but I wouldn’t want to duck… they have taken too long to setup. I’m determined that the Complaints and Integrity Commissions will be setup by the end of this financial year.”
Regarding the Complaints Commission there was a delay. “One lady who agreed to be a member of the Complaints Commission then decided to do absolutely nothing to make her membership effective, i.e. Refuse to travel to Montserrat to be sworn-in…she didn’t want to do anything, so it took a long time to sort that out,” he informed.
He said the Integrity Commission was delayed, but, following a discussion about how to interpret the Integrity Act and how that might affect the Commission, “that was resolved in Cabinet.” He added however, “it has taken too long to set.”
Then, a new problem arose when one of the ladies on the Commission has taken a one-year sabbatical off island which necessitated finding someone else, compounding an earlier problem finding persons for the Commissions.
After expressing his thoughts that the Electoral Commission was not urgent, he was reminded that elections were due in less than two years. He said, “…I haven’t really paid focus on it that much because election is not due until halfway through next year, but I have comfort in the fact that Sir Howard tell me what the Electoral Commission really needs to do.”
After admitting there was a procedural problem, a glitch with the Electoral Commission, “all Commissions will be in place by the end of this financial year.”
With the Complaints Commission now in place, the Governor’s press release states, “The Commission estimates that all necessary Rules of Procedures will be in place by the end of March this year.”
The advice is that, “until the procedures are in place, complaints may be made to the Commission by way of a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Commission care of the Constitution and Commissions Secretariat, Brades. Complaints may be made in relation to acts of maladministration or in relation to breaches of human rights occurring in any ministry/department of the government of Montserrat or in any statutory authority or agency of the government of Montserrat.”
