Referring to a recent publication in newspapers of the names of Members of Parliament (MPs) for failure to make submissions, the President also suggested that the commission take a step further and select 10 members from among members of the governing People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and the main Opposition People's National Congress Reform (PNC/R) who have declared their assets, and conduct audits into their accounts to determine how their assets were accumulated.

"I am prepared to volunteer myself, and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Desmond Hoyte) and other members of the PNC/R will want to do that, too," he told a news conference at the Office of the President on Wednesday last.

The Integrity Commission created in 1997 is headed by Anglican Bishop Randolph George and comprises members of civil society.

The Actstipulates that the President, Ministers of Government and senior public service officers are required to submit declarations on their assets.

Section Four of the Act contains a code of conduct which states: any person in public life who is in breach of a provision of the Code of Conduct shall be liable, on summary conviction, to a fine of $25,000 and to punishment for a period of not less than six months and not more than one year.

President Jagdeo said the Integrity Commission should hire experts to conduct these audits, adding, "This would be very interesting."

"Persons failing to comply with the Act should not be Members of Parliament," he asserted.

"I think that it is terrible - that the same people who are shouting corruption are in violation of the laws of this country. It is terrible that you talk all the time about accountability and corruption and, when the law states that you have to account for your income and assets, you do not want to do it."

Information Liaison to the President, Mr. Robert Persaud told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that the publication of a notice by the Integrity Commission regarding some public officers' failure to comply with the Commission's Act is a "confirmation of the PPP/C's commitment to a clean transparent Government."

The notice listed 11 MPs and 31 regional officials who have not complied with the statute.

"While not surprising, it is interesting that those MPs found to be in violation of the Act are not from the PPP/C," Persaud said.

"The PNC/R, which, without evidence, attacks the Government on the issue of accountability, may wish to explain why so many of its MPs, including aspirants to the leadership post, failed to comply with this basic anti-corruption requirement," he added.

"It must be recalled that it was the PPP/C that established the Integrity Commission, as part of its ongoing efforts to combat corruption and wrongdoing by public officers," Persaud said.