Almost three years after Prime Minister Andrew Holness gave his word by signing a memorandum of understanding with the Opposition, the private sector, and the Jamaican people to enact legislation for the confiscation of unexplained wealth, such proposed statute is yet to be tabled in Gordon House.
The director of the National Integrity Action (NIA), Professor Emeritus Trevor Munroe, has listed inordinate delays and inactions on other big-ticket governance issues as possible causes for Jamaica’s score continue to stagnate on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI).
Despite improving one place in the 2022 CPI country rankings, Jamaica remains the fourth most corrupt state in the Caribbean.
In the 2022 CPI ranking released on Tuesday, January 31, 2023, Jamaica scored 44 on the CPI, ranking 69 out of 180 countries. Last year, Jamaica also scored 44 and was rated 70 out of 180 countries.
At a virtual press briefing to announce the 2022 CPI, Munroe surmised that lawmakers’ unwillingness to remove the so-called gag clause in the Integrity Commission Act may be why Jamaica’s CPI score remains dismally low. He said the gag clause in the Integrity Commission Act must be removed.
At a virtual press briefing to announce the 2022 CPI, Munroe surmised that lawmakers’ unwillingness to remove the so-called gag clause in the Integrity Commission Act may be why Jamaica’s CPI score remains dismally low. He said the gag clause in the Integrity Commission Act must be removed.
The NIA director pointed out that regulations were passed in December 2021 to make sure that persons appointed to public boards are selected based on merit, experience, and competence. However, this did not materialize in 2022.
In addition, Munroe also chided public bodies that continue to breach the Public Bodies Management and Accountability Act. He said these bodies must file audited financial statements with the relevant ministers.
However, Dr. Monroe said the Jamaican people have played a more significant role as whistle-blowers in the fight against grift and other public-sector improprieties that deprive government coffers of billions of dollars.
In 2022, reports to the Integrity Commission jumped to 183 compared to 91 made in 2021.
The Auditor General’s Department received 62 reports from whistle-blowers in 2022, up from 34 in 2021.
In 2021, Jamaicans made 685 reports to Crime Stop; in 2022, the total increased to 1,148.
Munroe said the backlash over the multibillion-dollar fraud at investment firm Stocks and Securities Limited (SSL) proved that “public outrage matters and bring results.”
Turning to Holness’ in-limbo statutory declaration, Munroe said that the prime minister owes to himself and the people of Jamaica an explanation of the non-publication of his assets, income, and liabilities by the Integrity Commission.