Watchdog wants politicians to declare ‘liabilities’

POLITICIANS and public servants who owe substantial sums to banks should have to declare such liabilities in the public interest, the state’s ethics watchdog has said.

The Standards in Public Office Commission, known as SIPO, also called for a comprehensive whistleblower’s charter to protect those exposing corruption.

In its latest annual report published yesterday, SIPO said that public officials should have to declare “liabilities” such as substantial bank loans and mortgages.