Ombudsman on collision course with government
SOURCE POINTE XPRESS: The Government of Antigua and Barbuda has registered its disapproval of a report, allegedly authored by the country’s ombudsman.
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While the contents of the report are yet to be revealed, it has not stopped the government from publicly declaring that it was biased reporting and that the ombudsman may have acted outside the ambit of her role.
In the House of Representatives last week, Attorney General, Sir Steadroy Benjamin said the matter will be laid bare during the next sitting of parliament.
Saint Phillip’s South MP, Sherfield Bowen, suggested the composition of a committee to address the issues arising from the report, but Prime Minister Gaston Browne said it was necessary for the discussion to be held when next the lower house convenes, to which Sir Steadroy Benjamin agreed.
“Mr. Speaker, this counsel has had the opportunity of reading reports from ombudsmen over the years from Australia and other places and from this particular person as well. Sad to say sir, this is not in keeping with the ordinary reports one would expect from a constitutional provision holder, where there is to be no bias, but impartial representation of facts,” he stated.
The attorney general said the issue will not be allowed to go unnoticed.
“This will be dealt with by us and by me in particular on the appropriate occasion Mr. Speaker.”
Efforts to contact Sir Steadroy Benjamin to shed more light on this development were unsuccessful.
The Office of the Ombudsman, established in June, 1995, is enshrined in the Constitution of Antigua and Barbuda, 1981 and Ombudsman Act, 1994 No. 5 of 1994. Its functions are:
“To investigate any complaint relating to any decision or recommendation made or any act done or omitted by any officer of Government or Statutory Body in any case in which a member of the Public claims to be aggrieved, or appears to the Ombudsman to have sustained injustice as a result of the exercise of administrative function of that officer or body.”
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Ombudsman, the definition from the Dictionary:
An official to INVESTIGATE individuals’ complaints against a company or organisation, especially a PUBLIC authority.
TEK DAT GASTON BROWNE AND THE ABLP
Transparency, accountability and public scrutiny MUST be the order of the day for a vibrant democracy in Antigua & Barbuda, or all is lost under a dictatorship.
SUCK IT UP GASSSSSTON …
Why not name the Ombudsman? My recollection is its Marian Blair. Recall her teaching at PM school. She was later placed to be in charge of the Archives. Everyone knows her to be a fearless opinionated lady, who does not tolerate non-sence. Looking forward to also reading her report and not just reactions to it
Government cannot appoint an ombudsman and then want to censor and stifle the work of the ombudsman. An ombudsman is a government appointee who investigates complaints against business, financial institutions, government departments citizens and others and attempts to resolve the conflicts or concerned raised either by mediation or making recommendations. Any attempt to intervene or interfere with the work of the ombudsman must be met with the greatest resistance. The office of the ombudsman have the power, duty and function to investigate and prosecute on its own any person, public or private. Government must adopt a hands off approach to the office of the ombudsman and let them do their work unhampered and unobstructed.
Gaston and Cutie hate the report, then its reasonable to assume that it’s an excellent report. Looking forward to peruse its content for myself.
I was wondering if this office was now obsolete or the holder comatose
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