The fight against corruption comes at a cost and the government is  willing to pay in terms of looking to better protect whistleblowers – those who expose corruption or wrongdoing – but risk being driven to the point of bankruptcy for doing so. 

AttorneyGeneral Carl Bethel addressed the issue before heading into cabinet yesterday and said people can at times be judgmental, which has in turn proven to be a real disincentive in the fight against all levels of corruption. 

He said, “the whistle blowers protection division in the Freedom of Information Act provide a measure of protection for those who are in some kind of gainful employment. We have to decide what we do with persons who are whistle blowers who may have a different employment method, whether it’s by contracting with the government or otherwise. ”

He added, “The government will bring forward a full Whistle Blowers Protection Act to clarify this, because we have to decide as a people what society we want to live in. If we say that we are opposed to corruption, then whistle blowers should not be given an economic death sentence when they step forward and reveal alleged acts of corruption.”

The  AG’s comments come as some question the payments made to Johnathon Ash, the man involved in a case  of former cabinet minister, Shane Gibson. Gibson is alleged to have solicited thousands of dollars from Ash while in office.

He said, “they are installment payments on an acknowledged debt that the Ministry of Finance met of its books when we came to office.”

Meantime,  Gibson’s high-profile case continues in early November 2018.