Governor His Excellency John Rankin has said that the National Unity Government’s failure to pass the Register of Interests Act 2022 by the June 30 deadline is not a matter of grave concern.
Governor Rankin made the comment at a recent press conference after Premier Dr. the Honourable Natalio Wheatley confirmed that the bill had not yet been passed.
The governor said concerns would have only arisen had there been a deliberate attempt by the government to frustrate the process of passing the bill.
Premier Wheatley assured the public that he is fully committed to ensuring the Register of Interests is passed and becomes public.
The bill was met by some backlash from members of the public after 284News revealed that the new bill will now require a much broader category of persons and their immediate families to declare their financial interests.
Premier Wheatley in responding to a question posed on the backlash, highlighted the importance of those with concerns and other residents voicing their respective views on the subject matter.
He said this will contribute to the changes that will be made during the Committee Stage of the bill.
The delay in the passing of the bill came immediately after Fourth District Representative Honourable Mark Vanterpool urged the government to slow down the process.
Vanterpool said it needed proper consultation with the public and those who will be directly impacted by the new legislation.