Imbert: Whistleblower laws may be required by global treaties

FINANCE Minister Colm Imbert accused the Opposition of making weak excuses not to support the Whistleblower Protection Bill 2022 but reckoned such legislation would soon be a requirement of anti-corruption treaties like FATF and its absence could render TT as a pariah nation.

Speaking in the House of Representatives on Friday, he said only someone with something to hide would not support such legislation.

He accused the Opposition of offering many reasons to not support the bill which he variously labelled as nit-picking, irrelevance, ducking and hiding.

Imbert said the bill only gives legal protection to whistleblowers for disclosures that were made in good faith.

In terms of redress for someone unjustly accused by a whistleblower, he said the latter would not get legal protection if making allegations for personal gain, if bribed or due to malice.

"Once it is not in good faith, that protection is removed."

He said soon some 62 countries in the world will have whistleblower legislation.

Imbert warned that TT could soon be the only country in the world without such laws and so be rendered a pariah in the global community. He reckoned that whistleblower law would soon be a requirement of countries as members of global treaties such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the Global Forum and the European Council of Ministers. He warned against TT being deemed "non-compliant" in any such arrangement. "For this thing (bill) to be in Parliament for six years is shameful. We've been left behind." Imbert alleged that opposition "nitpicking" could leave people inside and outside TT feeling that "everyone in the system" in TT was corrupt.

He warned the Opposition, "The population will judge you." Imbert said the UNC had been voted out of office in the past due to the public having a perception of corruption of the party.