KINGSTON, Jamaica – On November 25 and 26, 2024, the Integrity Commission (IC) hosted the Special Prosecutor of Saint Lucia, Robert Innocent, on a special two-day visit to its offices.
The primary purpose of the visit was for the Special Prosecutor to gain first-hand insights into the operations of the Commission, its institutional and legislative frameworks, and its effectiveness in combating corruption. Comprehensive briefings on the functions and operations of all of the Commission’s Divisions and Departments were facilitated, first in a plenary meeting, and then in break-out sessions with the executive director, directors and legal counsel of the Commission.
Importantly, the visit also provided an opportunity for an open exchange of knowledge and best practices in the fight against corruption within the Caribbean.
In his formal report regarding his visit, dated December 9, 2024, which was submitted to the attorney general of Saint Lucia, and shared with the Commission, Innocent expressed admiration for the achievements of the IC. He noted, in particular, the relatively high standard of its work, and its work product, during its relatively short years of operation.
“I marvelled at the amount of work accomplished and the quality of the results produced by the Commission. This, no doubt, is due to the high quality of the experience, skill, passion, and commitment of the directors of the statutory divisions and executive offices, under the prized expert leadership of the executive director and the august board of Commissioners,” said the special prosecutor.
Innocent also highlighted the role played by the government of Jamaica in providing essential financial resources to support the Integrity Commission’s efforts to fight corruption.
The special prosecutor went on to state that the operations of Jamaica’s Integrity Commission can serve both as a template and a blueprint for CARICOM states who may contemplate anti-corruption legislation.
The special prosecutor further recommended that Saint Lucia’s legislative drafting department review the Integrity Commission Act of Jamaica when considering future amendments to its own Special Prosecutor Act.
Additionally, he encouraged Saint Lucia’s Integrity Commission to peruse the IC’s Annual Report for insights on enhancing its investigative capabilities and effectiveness.
Importantly, Innocent, in his report, alluded to the fact that he was “gifted” with copies of the PowerPoint presentations of the operations of the Commission’s Information and Complaints Division, by its director, Craig Beresford, and of the investigation division, by its director, Kevon Stephenson.
Advising that he had shared the presentations with his team of investigators, he commented that they “will be very useful in assisting my office to chart and develop its own processes for receiving and investigating complaints of corruption.”
In reporting to the Saint Lucian attorney general, the special prosecutor also thanked the Commission’s executive director, Greg Christie, for his special gift of a hard copy of the Commission’s latest statutorily mandated Annual Report.
Innocent said that the report would be “a handy reference for our office’s library,” and offered that it “may also be useful for our Integrity Commissioners to peruse. They may find it quite relevant and helpful in settling upon policies and tailoring their management tools in their anti-corruption thrust,” he advised.
In his closing remarks, Innocent thanked the Commission and its directors effusively. Among other things, he assured them that “the experience, knowledge and inspiration I gained will be useful to me and my team in assisting us to effectively carry out our mandate under Saint Lucia’s Special Prosecutor Act.”
The Integrity Commission remains committed to its mission to promote and ensure transparency, accountability, and integrity in Jamaica’s public sector, and welcomes further collaboration with regional counterparts in the fight for a corrupt-free society.
