Councillors in hot water for failing to file statutory declarations

Three Jamaican councillors, including two currently in office and one former member, are facing legal repercussions for failing to comply with the Integrity Commission (IC) regulations. The individuals—Rohan Hall, Keisha Lewis, and Roogae Kirlew—were found to have violated Section 43 of the Integrity Commission Act (ICA) by not submitting their statutory declarations on time and/or neglecting to pay the mandated $250,000 fixed penalty. The IC’s investigation, triggered by referrals from its Director of Information and Complaints, revealed that Hall, a councillor in the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC), failed to file his 2019 declaration. Lewis, representing the St Catherine Municipal Corporation (SCMC), missed filings for 2019, 2020, and 2022, while Kirlew, a former SCMC councillor, also failed to submit declarations for the same years. All three were given opportunities to rectify their violations by paying the penalty and submitting the required documents within 21 days. However, none fully complied, leading the IC to refer their cases to the Director of Corruption Prosecution. Lewis, in a public statement, acknowledged her oversight but claimed she filed the declarations within the IC’s specified timeframe and was unaware of further penalty requirements. Efforts to contact Hall and Kirlew for comment were unsuccessful. The IC emphasized that partial compliance does not absolve liability, underscoring the importance of adherence to transparency and accountability standards for public officials.