IC Report on Charging Mikael Phillips for Failed Filing Tabled

The report confirming the Integrity Commission had ruled that Member of Parliament for North West Manchester, Mikael Phillips, be charged for failing to file his 2022 statutory declarations on time, was tabled in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

The report was sent to parliament last week.

Shaloy Smikle reports.

According to the report from the Commission’s director of investigations, Kevon Stephenson, Mikael Phillips, was, by virtue of being an MP, at the material time, legally obligated to file a statutory declaration with the commission for the year 2022.

Mr. Stephenson concludes that Mr. Phillips failed to submit the requisite declaration by the due date and that he provided no reasonable cause for his failure to do so.

According to the director of corruption prosecution, Keisha Prince-Kameka, Mr. Phillips also failed to pay the fixed penalty in the amount of $250,000, before the requisite notice period expired.

Mrs Prince-Kameka concluded there was prima facie evidence that Mr. Phillips was in breach of the requirements under sections 39 and 41 of the Integrity Commission Act.

Last week, Mr. Phillips acknowledged that he was the subject of an Integrity Commission report that was sent to parliament.

This followed a Nationwide News report that a senior People’s National Party MP was flagged in the latest IC report.

Mr. Phillips, in a media release, admitted that his 2022 statutory declaration was late due to a delay in getting all the relevant documents.

He said shortly after the deadline, the documents were submitted. According to the MP, he has since fully complied with all the requirements. 

He added that the late-filing penalty of $250,000 has been paid.