皇冠体育app

皇冠体育app Deputy Director of the Integrity Commission, Mr Richard Been, returned to the Turks and Caicos Islands on 1 September following a Governor鈥檚 Office-funded attachment to the UK鈥檚 Electoral Commission.

皇冠体育app one-week training and development visit, which also included a visit to the UK鈥檚 Committee on Standards in Public Life, sought to build working relationships between UK and TCI bodies and to familiarise the Deputy Director with the processes the UK employs to govern and monitor the financing of political parties. Mr Been鈥檚 programme, which was split between London and Edinburgh, included numerous meetings with officials that focused on how the Electoral Commission could assist the Integrity Commission in carrying out its mandate. He also had the opportunity to observe the live monitoring and checking of proposed political expenditure carried out by the Electoral Commission, and met with both the Electoral Commissioner for Scotland and the Head of Election Team for the Scottish Government.

鈥業t was fascinating to be able to spend time with the Electoral Commission鈥檚 officials in the run-up to the Scottish referendum on independence on 18 September,鈥� commented Mr Been on his return. 鈥業 will be looking to apply what I learned during my visit to my work for the Integrity Commission as we strive towards ensuring TCI is a regional model of political transparency and accountability.鈥�

Deputy Head of Mission at the Governor鈥檚 Office, Mr. Patrick Boyle, commented: 鈥業鈥檓 very pleased that we have once again been able to fund capacity building activities that will be of real benefit to the TCI. 皇冠体育app UK鈥檚 commitment to good governance in the Islands continues, and the Integrity Commission plays a key role in achieving this locally. I hope Mr Been鈥檚 visit will herald the beginning of a strong working relationship with the UK鈥檚 Electoral Commission.鈥�

皇冠体育app Integrity Commission of the TCI is, among other things, charged with oversight of the Political Activities Ordinance of the Islands. This governs the activities (financing, campaigning) of political parties and independent candidates during the four year cycle of elections, and particularly the twelve month period prior to a General Election. 皇冠体育app Ordinance draws in fair measure from its counterpart legislation in the UK, and specifies donation and spending limits as well as who can or cannot donate to a political party. 皇冠体育app Ordinance also defines the enforcement powers and sanctions which can be implemented if there is a breach by any of the Political Parties.