3rd 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 5th Annual
Conference.

Dirk Harrison 3
June 2019