People’s National Party, PNP, leader Mark Golding, is expressing his opposition to the recent delay in the tabling of reports from the Integrity Commission in both the upper and lower houses of parliament.

The leader says the opposition firmly believes that the speaker of the house and the senate president have no authority to impede the timely and seamless publication of crucial reports.

He notes that the delay or interference in the process creates the perception that politically unfavorable information is being withheld from the public.

Mr Golding says this is dangerous as it is inconsistent with both the rule of law and the principle of transparent governance.

He says the PNP‘s concerns are compounded by the unprecedented decision of the speaker, announced on Tuesday in the house, that she will be holding up the tabling of reports she has received from the Auditor-General on audits of public bodies, for two months after receiving them.

Mr Golding says the speaker is violating the longstanding convention for the immediate tabling of the reports of the auditor general, whose established practice is to allow the public bodies to comment on her draft reports before finalizing and sending those reports to parliament.

The PNP is calling upon the speaker and the senate president to fulfill their responsibilities to the country by ensuring the swift and seamless flow of the reports into the public domain.