The deadline for the filing of declarations of income, assets, liabilities, and special interests for all public officials who are governed by the Integrity in Public Life Act Cap 22.18, has passed. The deadline was Tuesday April 30th, 2024 and public officials (which includes Ministers of Government, Permanent Secretaries for example) had to file for the period January 1st, 2023 to December 31st, 2023.

In a press release, the Integrity in Public Life (IPL) Commission, St. Kitts and Nevis mentioned that “public officials who resigned or retired or who otherwise demitted office after the 20th day of April, 2023, are required to file declarations with the integrity commission up to 2 years after demitting office.”

But have all public officials filed? Nevis’ Premier, Mark Brantley, said on Apr. 22nd on Facebook “So proud to lead our CCM team to Basseterre, St Kitts to file our annual declarations with the Integrity in Public Life office there.” This included Deputy Premier, Eric Evelyn, Ministers Spencer Brand, Troy Liburd, Jahnel Nisbett, Special Advisors in the Office of the Premier, Alexis Jeffers, Latoya Jones and Cabinet Secretary, Stedmond Tross.

On Tuesday evening, during a “Pre-Labour Day Meeting” in Constituency # 6 (St. Paul’s, Saddlers, Lynches), it was announced that the members of Cabinet had filed their declarations. However, the VONNEWSLINE has been reliably informed by a spokesperson from the IPL Commission – St. Kitts and Nevis (or Federal Commission), that not all public officials have filed.

Section 30 of the aforementioned Act says “a person who fails to furnish to the Commission a declaration or further particulars thereof commits an offence, and shall be liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding $EC 30,000 or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding five years.