Deputy chairman of the Integrity Commission and retired High Court judge Sebastian Ventour said the declarations of income, assets and liabilities and statements of registrable interests of Chaguanas West MP and leader of the Independent Liberal Party (ILP) Jack Warner which were filed with the Integrity Commission for years ended December 31, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 will be thoroughly probed.
The investigation is expected to last nine months.
Ventour was fielding questions from members of the media after being sworn-in as part of a tribunal to conduct an enquiry to verify the contents of the declarations.
Other tribunal members are the commission’s members Dr Shelly-Anne Lalchan, Deonarine Jaggernath and Pete London, a chartered accountant.
The appointment of the tribunal was made pursuant to Section 15 of the Integrity in Public Life Act (ILPA).
Last January, the commission had said it invoked that section of the Act to appoint a tribunal to probe Warner’s declarations of assets and income, in light of findings of a Concacaf report in 2013 in which it alleged Warner committed fraud against Concacaf and FIFA in connection with the Centre of Excellence and in respect of financial statements of Concacaf.
“The purpose of the tribunal is really to go deeper into the declarations made by Mr Warner,” Ventour said.
But he said he could not divulge much on the matter.
He added: “As you probably all are aware under the Integrity in Public Life Act it’s an issue about secrecy so we cannot be divulging information and the tribunal will be conducted in privacy.
“It is not like the ordinary commission of enquiry although the powers are the same. We will be conducting the investigation in privacy. It is not a public issue at all so we have got to respect that.”
He said if the tribunal members believed nine months were insufficient to complete the probe then it was up to the President to grant an extension.
“But I hardly think that would arise,” Ventour said.
Saying London would play a major role in the enquiry, Ventour said the declaration of assets and liabilities were “more in the accounting field than anything else.”
On whether there could be possible action at the end of the probe Ventour said that would depend on the findings.
“Based on the findings we report to the President directly,” he added.