Chairman of Integrity in Public Life Commission in St Kitts-Nevis resigns

The Chairman of the Integrity in Public Life Commission, Damian Kelsick has resigned after less than nine months on the job.

Kelsick, who was appointed to the post in October of last year has submitted his resignation to Governor General Sir Tapley Seaton.

No reason was given for the resignation, but if confirms that the Harris-led Team Unity Government continues in play lip service to issues of transparency, good governance and accountability.

In March this year, Kelsick had publicly complained that the Integrity in Public Life Commission was without adequate funds and the Order for the submission of declarations by public officials was not yet in place.

He told WINN that the Commission had held weekly meetings since October 2018, identified property for the office, interviewed people for positions of Director and Office Manager and Accountant but funding was proving a problem.

“At this point, we’ve gotten our first tranch of the funds that government has allocated. In the 2019 budget, the government allocated $350,000 dollars which apparently in accordance to government practice is dispersed quarterly, so we got the first quarter of that which is $87, 500 dollars. Not adequate by any means for the task that we have to perform to get up and running but we’re going to work with what we have in the meantime and continue to request that government disperse more funds,” Kelsick said at the time.

The other two members are each appointed by the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.