Members of the newly established Cabinet will still have to declare their assets in order to serve, despite the absence of Integrity Legislation.
Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley made this clear as she addressed the Swearing-in Ceremony for Members of Cabinet, the House of Assembly, Senate, and Parliamentary Secretaries at State House today.
She added that she remained hopeful that there would be the passing of integrity legislation on the third attempt to bring it before Parliament.
“The first time was under the Tom Adams administration. It did not get past the Senate, having gotten past the elected members in the House of Assembly. In the last term, it did not get past the Senate again, having gotten past the elected members of the House of Assembly,” she outlined.
However, she noted that despite the absence of integrity legislation, a modern Corruption Act was passed, as well as the Whistleblowers Act and Deferred Prosecution Act, which gave additional powers to law enforcement and prosecution officials.
“I repeat, there is zero-tolerance for both corruption and arrogance in this administration,” the Prime Minister maintained.
She highlighted that recent reports described Barbados as being among the top 30 countries in the world that were least corrupt, and as the least corrupt Caribbean nation.