PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC—The Trinidad and Tobago Transparency Institute (TTTI) has welcomed the recent passage of whistleblower legislation in the House of Representatives and urged that authorities ensure the law follows best practices and serves its intended purpose.
“TI calls on all Parliament members to commit to this process for the benefit of Trinidad and Tobago, moving the country closer to a corruption-free society,” it said in a statement, noting that whistleblower legislation is one of the critical tools in the fight against corruption.
“This legislation is meant to provide a safe space so that witnesses and victims of corrupt practices can feel assured that their disclosures of improper conduct in the public and private sector can be made under the protection of this legislation from detrimental action.”
The Whistleblower Protection Bill 2024 was passed in the Lower House of Parliament last Friday, almost a decade after its first version was introduced to Parliament.
“We are delighted at this development,” I said.
The Whistleblower Protection Bill 2015 has been referred to a Joint Select Committee. There was stakeholder consultation before the Whistleblower Protection Bill 2018 was defeated because of a lack of support from the opposition. The 2019 version of the Bill lapsed when Parliament was dissolved the following year.
Last Friday, opposition legislator Dr. Rai Ragbir broke ranks with his United National Congress (UNC) and supported the Bill, resulting in a 22-15 vote. The Bill must now be passed in the Senate.
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