Jeanette Calder, Executive Director of the Jamaica Accountability Meter Portal - (Gleaner file photo)
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Jeanette Calder, Executive Director of the Jamaica Accountability Meter Portal
Jeanette Calder, Executive Director of the Jamaica Accountability Meter Portal, says there is no evidence to support the belief that Jamaica is making inroads in the fight against corruption.
On Wednesday, Dirk Harrison, Acting Director of Corruption Prosecutions at the Integrity Commission, stated that Jamaica's anti-corruption strategies are not working.
In an interview with RJR News Thursday morning, Ms Calder agreed, saying the country needs to get serious about tackling corruption.
"Mr. Holness has been quoted as saying we lose $62 billion annually in Jamaica as a result of corruption. I think that's a conservative figure but we can work with it. I think just the reports from the Auditor General month after month is indicative and just the absolute absence of any measure of accountability is also indicative."
"Until we have accountability...until we send a very clear signal in that manner, then it really doesn't matter how many institutions we put in place, it doesn't matter how many laws and it doesn't matter how many reports that come in," she declared.
Ms Calder added that the establishment of anti-corruption oversight agencies such as the Major Organised Crime and Anti-corruption Agency (MOCA) and the Financial Investigation Division (FID) have had little effect as there has been no word or update on investigations being carried out by those agencies.
Dirk Harrison, who was speaking at a Crime and Corruption forum in New Kingston, said Jamaica runs the risk of suffering reputational damage unless decisive action is taken.
He noted with disappointment the delay in appointing someone in the permanent post in which he now acts on the Integrity Commission.
Ms Calder is also questioning the delay in the appointment of a Director of Corruption Prosecutions at the Commission, arguing that the post is a "vulnerable post".
"The question is, after so long, I believe 15 months, why hasn't the Integrity Commission been in a position (to appoint someone in the permanent post). Mr. Harrison is not a new face. Mr. Harrison has served this country I think maybe for five years, making it much easier to determine whether he is the man for the job," she insisted.
At the Integrity Commission's first media briefing last month, its chairman, retired Justice Karl Harrison said the post of Director of Corruption Prosecutions and others would be advertised.
Dirk Harrison has said that it is unacceptable that there has been no permanent appointment to the post, adding that in the more than one year since its establishment, the Integrity Commission has brought no case before the court.
He said there are more than 100,000 cases in the system, most of which date back to his time as Contractor General.
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