3^rd June 2019

SALUTATIONS

The abuse of entrusted power for private gain simply put defines corruption. We are all in this room today as we are part of the global fight against corruption. However it must be acknowledged that the perception of acts of corruption or actual corruption thriving in any society are symptoms of societal norms which unfortunately the man in the street believes thrives with impunity.

We cannot ignore the cries of apathy by the citizens of our country, that not enough or nothing is being done to contain or stamp out corruption. Our institutions, are facing unprecedented scrutiny by law abiding citizens… but the apathy of our people is of an abominable proportion which seems to be at a breaking point in some cases. The stark fact is that some members of the public have in some cases lost hope and in some other, they no longer care and we, yes We ( the stakeholders ) in this room are charged with the responsibility to make a difference. A difference, not tomorrow or next week but Now !!!! The cries we want Justice, We Want Justice are painfully loud and overbearing and especially now the Stevie Wonders of the world can see clearly now.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen our taxpayers, those who pay and unfortunately in some cases those who do not , they represent in a metaphorical sense, as one stakeholder likened it, to the relationship between a tenant and his landlord, our institutions are perceived as the landlord and the sentiments are not complimentary to say the least of their treatment of the tenant. Our citizenry throughout the region have witnessed with their own eyes corruption playing out and have in some cases unfortunately relied on anecdotal evidence, which in the absence of proof real or circumstantial evidence, has sentenced many a public servant and administrators ( THE LANDLORDS, THE GATE KEEPERS ) to a place of no return in public opinion. Credibilty is shot !

Institutions and Policy makers are asking our taxpayers to believe in!!!! !, a process, a process of fighting corruption, to include drafting appropriate laws, having adequate and experienced and competent staff who are properly remunerated ) and that they will win the fight against corruption. But let us not kid ourselves or be naïve, corruption and greed can never be eliminated, but we must control these forces of evil.

Most interestingly a recent world Bank Questionaire posed the questions, words to the effect, HAS CORRUPTION GOTTEN WORST, IS IT ON THE DECLINE OR HAS IT REMAINED THE SAME ?. I therefore ask the question, then, what if any are the indicators existing , that we will rely on to determine change or stagnancy and … DEAR Mr. Sherlock Holmes is the reason why we are here this week, I hope. or asked another way Are we going up the down escalator ,where no perceived change has occurred, Or has there been improvement. Immediate past Chairman LADY Anande Trotman Joseph, chairman of the Grenada Integrity Commission has called for and I endorse a call that the Caribbean Commonwealth needs its own Corruption Barometer.

Distinguished LaDIES AND GENTELEMEN IF we wish the tenants to “ buy in to the process, any process , that process of implementing anti- corruption measures, we need to consider the man in the mirror phenomenal, what you see is what you get, but I will go even further and state we must consider the corruption landscape, to be unequally yoked as in 2 Corinthians 6:14 the Good Book SAYS “ Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness and unrighteousness ? and what communion hath light with darkness” . On a lighter note a criminal law practitioner said to me years ago, discussing the plea bargain regime, that his clients are being asked to plead guilty but That they got no bargain.

Having said that relationships matter ! they are the epicurean center of success and or failure. So Today marks an important milestone in the life of this august association of Caribbean Commonwealth Integrity Commissions and Anti – Corruption Bodies. It was just 5 ( five ) years ago that the Association began in the heart of Grenada through the leadership of the then Chairman of the Association, Dame Monica Joseph and through the expert facilitation of the Commonwealth Secretariat guided by Dr. Roger Koranteng Interim Adviser and Head, public Sector Governance, Commonwealth Secretariat.

I Thank you Honourable Baron Patricia Scotland , Secretary General for your facilitation, we are indeed and forever grateful for the Commonwealth Secretariats tremendous facilitation for the last five years and trust that the support shall continue. We as an association are in the midst of our infancy, not yet able to but crawl on our own . But we must conduct our own self assessment and determine where we are, up, down or the same place on the Caribbean Commonwealth Barometer after 5 years and I humbly say we have seen growth.

We cannot as an Association however ignore, some of the lessons of the last five years, what is an obvious trend, of Integrity Commissions being understaffed, given little or no resources, their independence and operational effectiveness being muttered by policy makers and legislators on both sides of the political divide ,who in some cases lack the where with all to do justice to the creation of and existence of these Offices. We have seen powers watered down and functionalism disabled to cause stagnancy in the name of development.

Wearing a new set of old clothes each day as the Great JK Holt Junior used to tell a player Dula, at Kensignton cricket club in Jamaica does not cut it. We must create institutions not just in name but in functionality and purpose. We must be guided by the partnerships and learn and grow from them as the technical expertise and support for example provided by the Commonwealth Secretariat through its Anti- Corruption Bench Marks and also the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Commentary on the Jakarta principles for Anti- Corruption Agencies. The European Union, Canada and other local and international stakeholders.

We must all in closing embrace change for good and we must create, establish, implement and enforce anti corruption rules and regulation on and off the field of play during sporting activities, at the work place and MOST IMPORTANTLY WITH OUR CHILDREN TEACHING THEM THEY MUST ALWAYS DO THE RIGHT THING, EVEN WHEN NO ON IS LOOKING. IF IT IS NOT TRUE DO NOT SAY IT AND IF IT IS NOT RIGHT DO NOT SAY IT.

On behalf of the association I thank our Deputy Chair of the CCIACACB Mrs. Rosie Whittaker Myles and the Secretariat for hosting through excellence our 5^th Annual Conference.

Dirk Harrison 3 June 2019