Dwayne Vaz seeks to clear the air in IC corruption probe

WESTMORELAND, Jamaica — People’s National Party caretaker for Westmoreland Central, Dwayne Vaz has sought to clear the air in relation to allegations by the Integrity Commision (IC) that he breached the country’s anti-corruption laws.

It follows media reports on Tuesday that the IC’s director of corruption prosecution has recommended that Vaz be prosecuted for the alleged breach in connection with his 2019 statutory declarations.

READ:PNP’s Dwayne Vaz facing corruption charge

In a statement Tuesday evening in response to the IC report which was tabled earlier in the Sitting of the House of Representatives, Vaz said, “I am fully committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and transparency required by the Integrity Commission and will continue to engage cooperatively with all legal processes.”

“My focus remains on serving with integrity and accountability, and I am prepared to present all necessary information to the court to demonstrate my compliance,” he added.

In seeking to provide clarity, Vaz provided the following account of what he said were his compliance efforts:

1. Vaz said in March 2020 he filed his initial Statutory Declaration for the year ending 2019, ensuring compliance with the guidelines of the Integrity Commission Act.

2. The Integrity Commission subsequently requested additional documents from Vaz concerning a specific entity with which he is associated. He said that despite facing unforeseen delays in accessing the information, he remained in constant communication with the commission and sought extensions to gather the required documentation.

3. On February 18, 2021, Vaz said he was informed by the commission of a potential fixed penalty for the delayed submission of the requested information.

4. Vaz said the requested additional information was submitted, with all necessary documents fully completed by March 2021.

5. On May 18, 2021, the Integrity Commission confirmed to Vaz that his Statutory Declaration up to December 31, 2019 was duly completed in accordance with the provisions of the Act. This confirmation was issued under Section 42 (2) of the Integrity Commission Act. The letter from the Integrity Commission stated, “The Integrity Commission hereby certifies that your statutory declaration as at December 31, 2019 has been examined. Based on the examination, which does not constitute an audit, it appears that the declaration has been duly completed in accordance with the provisions of the Integrity Commission Act.”

6. On March 26, 2024, three years later, Vaz said he received a summons to appear before the Half Way Tree Parish Court on charges of failing to provide required information to the Integrity Commission. The hearing, held on April 9, 2024, brought to light a misunderstanding regarding these charges, which appeared to contradict the 2021 confirmation of compliance from the IC. Vaz said he was charged for failure to submit declarations, which he claims is “untrue and has been verified by the May 18, 2021 letter received from the commission”.

7. Vaz said the court recognised the inconsistency in the information presented. Vaz said he has been given the opportunity to review the commission’s documentation further and he is scheduled to return to court on April 30, 2024. He noted that the lawyers representing the Integrity Commission were unaware of the May 18, 2021 letter from the Integrity Commission certifying my declaration.