PM Briceño Outlines Good Governance Measures to be Undertaken
John Briceño
The joint unions may not have been able to stop their salaries from being cut or their increments from being frozen, but the industrial action underway from the public service and teachers unions is also focused on anti-corruption and good governance. There will be a meeting tomorrow between union leaders and government officials, but late this afternoon, Prime Minister John Briceño pre-empted those talks with a prepared video statement streamed on Facebook by the Government Press Office. Briceño lamented that the unions decided to strike, amidst their ongoing consultations which began back in February as a part of the government’s budget exercise. He said that yet the government’s team continued to meet with the joint unions over the past few weeks since the industrial action started. Briceño says that today G.O.B. sent a written document to the joint unions about the good governance actions his administration is taking moving forward.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“The Protected Disclosures/Whistleblowers Protection Bill, 2021. The Government fully endorses the need for whistleblowers’ legislation to protect from civil, criminal and disciplinary proceedings persons who report improper conduct such as commission of a criminal offence and conduct that shows gross mismanagement, impropriety or misconduct in the carrying out of any activity that involves the use of public funds. To that end, the Government has drafted the Protected Disclosures/Whistleblower Protection Bill, has delivered such draft to the Unions and the business community and undertakes to the public that upon receipt of comments from the Unions by no later than May 18, 2021, it shall cause to be tabled before the House of Representatives by the end of June 2021 with a view to enactment thereof by the end of July, 2021. The Civil Asset Recovery and Unexplained Wealth Bill, 2021. Recognizing the grossly negligent and corrupt behavior of public officials in the past in the acquisition, management, handling and disposal of public assets, the Government fully supports the establishment of a law that provides for recovery of public assets wrongfully acquired or disposed of, including the provision for unexplained wealth orders against those persons whose total wealth exceeds the value of their wealth lawfully obtained. In that respect, consistent with the Unions’ request, the Government has drafted the Civil Asset Recovery and Unexplained Wealth Bill, and delivered the draft bill to the Unions and the business community. Upon receipt of comments from the Unions, which should be no later than the 8 of June 2021, it shall cause to be tabled before the House of Representatives. We hope to have this bill enacted by the end of July of this year.”
Also among the good governance measures, PM Briceño committed to enacting a campaign financing law. Briceño said that they have a draft campaign finance reform legislation from the business sector and unions which is under review with the Attorney General’s Ministry with a goal of creating a bill by the end of August. In addition, Briceño said that there will be a comprehensive audit of the Petro Caribe funds.
