Bunting says no court order blocks Parliament from tabling report

Peter Bunting says there is no court order stopping Parliament from tabling the report at the centre of a dispute involving the Firearm Licensing Authority and parliamentary procedure.

Asked whether any Jamaican court had directed Parliament not to proceed with tabling the document, Bunting answered no. He also argued that such an order would be unlikely, pointing to the Ian Hayles v Office of the Contractor General matter as the relevant precedent.

Bunting said the ruling made clear that when a report is submitted to Parliament by the Office of the Contractor General, the Speaker and President would be acting within their authority by placing it before the legislature. He said that process falls under Parliament's internal business and is therefore protected from court intervention.

The issue arose after the Firearm Licensing Authority was said to have moved to involve the court. Parliament has treated the matter as sub judice, meaning it considers the court proceedings to be active.

Bunting rejected that position as a basis for holding back the report. He described the court action as having little chance of success and said it appeared designed to delay the report, obstruct the Integrity Commission's oversight role, and frustrate watchdog bodies such as the Auditor General.

The discussion also noted why the Ian Hayles case remains relevant: the Integrity Commission now performs functions previously associated with the Office of the Contractor General, following institutional changes that created the current anti-corruption body.