Jamaica Council of Churches cautions against removal of Auditor General from IC

 

The Jamaica Council of Churches says the removal of the Auditor General as a commissioner on the Integrity Commission (IC) at this time would represent a symbolic retreat from accountability. 

 

In a statement Friday, the church group weighed in on the discussion, arguing that the proposal to excise the Auditor General from the Commission does not appear to comport with good governance or good reason, particularly amid the incomplete and unresolved investigations. 

 

On Wednesday, government members of the Joint Select Committee of Parliament reviewing the Integrity Commission Act, used their majority to push through a recommendation for a change in the rules that make the Auditor General a commissioner of the Integrity Commission. 

 

Speaking Monday on TVJ's Smile Jamaica, JCC President Reverend Christine Gooden Benguche emphasized that the removal of the Auditor General, who is the moral compass of the public service, would be dangerous. 

 

"Accountability is key because we are operating or have been for quite some time, operating within a low trust environment. That's where we are in this nation. And because we are operating from a low trust environment, it is important that we highlight, underscore, initiate those things that will build not weaken, that will strengthen, not disintegrate the system that we have that helps to build a trust again, rebuild the trust of the Jamaican people," she urged.  

 

Reverend Gooden Benguche agreed that change is sometimes beneficial to improve an institution, but suggested that was not the case in this instance. 

 

"Yes, change is needed at times, but one of the things that we have to look at, when they looked at this over 50 years ago, I think 1973 somewhere there... those who assisted in the framework of this, they must have thought, for some reason, that it was important that we had the A.G. in this position," she reasoned. 

 

In its statement, the JCC said the absence of any actual instances of conflict of interest undermines the legitimacy of the concerns raised by government lawmakers. The church group also said it is awaiting more substantial reasoning from the parliamentary opposition regarding its support for the Auditor General's continued inclusion on the Commission.