Government officials and senior judicial officers hired in the future, will have to declare their finances under integrity in public life legislation approved by cabinet yesterday and which goes to Parliament shortly.

It’s the second time the current administration has sought to pass the integrity in public life law, which has to be approved by a two thirds majority in Parliament.

The last attempt passed in the House of Assembly but on reaching the upper chamber, failed to get the needed support of independent and opposition senators who objected to the exclusion of Judges.

At the first in a new series of post cabinet media briefings, Attorney General Dale Marshall, stated that constitutional provisions make current top judicial officers exempt from the proposed law, but those hired in the future will have to comply with the provisions.

He noted that when Trinidad and Tobago sought to make its judges subject to integrity legislation a high court suit was filed and the measure was ruled to be unconstitutional.

Meantime, government is laying in parliament next week amendments to the minor offences act to deal with what the attorney general calls the dreadful nuisance of noisy kites flown over neighbourhoods at night.

On the issue of crime the attorney general declared that Barbados is still a safe place and said he is satisfied with the joint efforts of the police and defence force.

He also spoke of continuing efforts to recruit more police officers and especially to increase the number of females into the service.

The plan includes recruiting civilians to carry out certain more administrative functions currently done by police officers.