Whatever the decision the People's National Party (PNP) comes to regarding the future of the former Mayor of Lucea Shernet Haughton that decision must reflect an acknowledgement of the right of citizens of Jamaica to have their affairs administered by the political directorate in their best interest. The decision made must show clearly that the PNP is serious about eliminating all vestige of corruption from their Administration.
It is not sufficient for the PNP to rely on the technicality that what Haughton did in awarding contracts to friends and relatives does not amount to a criminal act.
On being elected to the parish council, each councillor makes the following declaration pursuant to section 91 of the Parish Council Act:
"I solemnly affirm that I will to the best of my ability do my duty as a councillor of the parish council of the parish of Hanover."
This declaration we can safely assume was made by Haughton. It cannot be said that she was performing her duties to the best of her ability when she distributed contracts to her relatives and friends as the contractor general has found.
It is of interest to note that Section 100 of the Parish Council Act expressly states that:
"... no councillor of any parish council shall have any vote on any question relating to any contract with such council if he is directly or indirectly pecuniarily or otherwise interested in such contract."
It is clear from the ruling of the Director of Public Prosecutions that we are now dealing with people in our parish councils who will require the sanction of the criminal law to bridle their conduct. While Haughton's actions are not criminal in nature, there is no way that one who sets out to award contracts in the public sector to relatives and friends should be considered suitable for representational politics.
Citizens should insist on standards whether they are in breach of the law or not. These instances of nepotism are clearly contrary to morality and decency. It cannot be that the only standard of conduct we expect from our political representatives is conduct that is not in breach of the criminal law.
Our political representatives should be guided by a higher standard of morality and integrity which should bind their hearts and hands to conduct the affairs of the people they represent along a straight and narrow path, never deviating into the muck and squalor of nepotism.
The only element of redemption available to Haughton is for her to apologise for the way she conducted the affairs of the office of major while she occupiedit and to withdraw herself from any public office thereafter.
Linton P Gordon
lpgordon@cwjamaica.com
PNP must ascribe to a higher standard
of morality and integrity
-->
It is not sufficient for the PNP to rely on the technicality that what Haughton did in awarding contracts to friends and relatives does not amount to a criminal act.
On being elected to the parish council, each councillor makes the following declaration pursuant to section 91 of the Parish Council Act:
"I solemnly affirm that I will to the best of my ability do my duty as a councillor of the parish council of the parish of Hanover."
This declaration we can safely assume was made by Haughton. It cannot be said that she was performing her duties to the best of her ability when she distributed contracts to her relatives and friends as the contractor general has found.
It is of interest to note that Section 100 of the Parish Council Act expressly states that:
"... no councillor of any parish council shall have any vote on any question relating to any contract with such council if he is directly or indirectly pecuniarily or otherwise interested in such contract."
It is clear from the ruling of the Director of Public Prosecutions that we are now dealing with people in our parish councils who will require the sanction of the criminal law to bridle their conduct. While Haughton's actions are not criminal in nature, there is no way that one who sets out to award contracts in the public sector to relatives and friends should be considered suitable for representational politics.
Citizens should insist on standards whether they are in breach of the law or not. These instances of nepotism are clearly contrary to morality and decency. It cannot be that the only standard of conduct we expect from our political representatives is conduct that is not in breach of the criminal law.
Our political representatives should be guided by a higher standard of morality and integrity which should bind their hearts and hands to conduct the affairs of the people they represent along a straight and narrow path, never deviating into the muck and squalor of nepotism.
The only element of redemption available to Haughton is for her to apologise for the way she conducted the affairs of the office of major while she occupiedit and to withdraw herself from any public office thereafter.
Linton P Gordon
lpgordon@cwjamaica.com
PNP must ascribe to a higher standard
of morality and integrity
-->